Duke Ellington School of the Arts

Students and faculty

Ellington currently serves approximately 500 students in grades 9–12. Most students commute in from outside of Ward 2, where the school is situated. The academic faculty is fully credentialed and includes seven Fulbright scholars, various PhDs, and DCPS's only national board certified teacher (NBCT) in young adulthood English/language arts. Many of the arts faculty are alumni of the school.

Academics

Ranked as one of D.C. Public Schools' top high schools, Ellington's curriculum requires students earn 34% more credits than those at other D.C. public high schools.{{cite news |access-date=12 January 2010

Arts

Ellington's mission is to emphasize the arts as much as academics. It offers training in eight disciplines: Dance, Cinematic Arts and Media Production, Museum Studies, Instrumental or Vocal Music, Theater, Technical Design and Production, and Visual Arts.

In support of their arts program, the school offers master classes taught by accomplished artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Billy Taylor, Lynn Whitfield, and Lionel Hampton.

The school is recognized for, among other things, its award-winning Duke Ellington Show Choir. Founded by Samuel L. E. Bonds Sr. in 1986, the Choir performs all types of music including Broadway, Gospel, Spirituals, Opera, Jazz, and R&B. Samuel L. E. Bonds Sr., who retired from the school in 2018, studied with Todd Duncan and still teaches private lessons. Students in the Choir are required to continue performing academically, maintaining a minimum grade point average of 3.0. As well as performing as part of an ensemble, they are also allowed to focus on solo work. It performs a holiday show of Amahl and the Night Visitors yearly.

Application process

In order to be admitted into Ellington, students must complete an admissions application and audition before a panel. Upon passing the audition students take an academic assessment test, and complete a family interview.

Relocation controversy

In January 2010, The Washington Post reported that the D.C. government was studying a plan to relocate the school to a new site near Union Station. Jack Evans, the D.C. Council member for the school's host ward, advocated the plan as a way to move the school to a more "central" location relative to its student body, as well to allow the current Ellington site to revert to a standard neighborhood school. Opposition from students, parents, alumni, and others has been strong, including online petitions and a Facebook group with over 1,700 members. Shortly after The Washington Post report, D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee announced that the school will not be moved in the near future.{{cite news |first=Bill |access-date=12 February 2010

Renovation

In 2017, a three-year renovation of the school was completed. The improvements cost $178.5 million, $100 million (127.39%) more than projected. The project became an example of the district's failure to prevent cost overruns.

Notable alumni

Western High School

• Ruth Chew, author
• Barbara J. Fields, historian
• Eugene B. Fluckey, United States Navy rear admiral, recipient of the Medal of Honor and four Navy Crosses for actions during World War II
• Ernest W. Gibson III, Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
• Solange Hertz, Catholic author
• John M. Kemper (1912–1971), Military Historian and 11th Headmaster of Phillips Academy
• George Van Horn Moseley Jr., United States Army officer who served in World War II
• Thomas A. Rymer (1925–2016), Maryland state delegate and judge
• John Whelchel, United States Navy vice admiral and football coach

Duke Ellington School for the Arts

• Dave Chappelle, comedian
• Michaela Angela Davis, Essence magazine Executive Fashion & Beauty Editor, writer, author, commentator, and speaker
• Matthew Dickens, actor/singer/dancer and writer/producer/director
• Johnny Gill, R&B singer
• Denyce Graves, opera singer
• Corey Hawkins, Actor, opera singer
• Tracy Inman, dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and co-director of The Ailey School
• Simbi Khali, actress
• Ari Lennox, singer
• Meshell Ndegeocello, bassist, singer
• Serena Reeder, Actress
• Wallace Roney, jazz trumpeter
• Gregory Charles Royal, jazz trombonist, playwright
• Lamman Rucker, actor
• Adam Serwer, journalist and author
• Tony Terry, singer
• Mary Timony, musician
• Marja Vallila, sculptor
• Samira Wiley, Actress

References

References

1. [https://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:531697 GNIS entry for Ellington School of the Arts];
2. "Duke Ellington School of the Arts". National Center for Education Statistics.
3. [http://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/Ellington+School+of+the+Arts DCPS Profiles. Accessed January 23, 2014.]
4. {{NRISref
5. {{NRHP url
6. "Duke Ellington School of the Arts | Equitable Access to Life at a Performing Arts School".
7. "Duke Ellington School of the Arts - Facts".
8. "Duke Ellington Show Choir prepares to take their talent overseas - The Washington Post". [[The Washington Post]].
9. "Duke Ellington School of the Arts Show Choir – New Frontiers 2016".
10. "Admissions Process & Application". Duke Ellington School of the Arts.
11. Michelle Goldchain. (18 August 2017). "Duke Ellington School of the Arts finishes modernization $100M over budget". Curbed.
12. "About the Author".
13. (3 November 1991). "SO YOU WANT TO BE A HISTORIAN". [[The Washington Post]].
14. Thomas, Richard C.. (1969). "Vermont Legislative Directory, 1969". Vermont Secretary of State.
15. Barnes, Bart. (October 30, 2015). "Nellie Hertz: Writer on theology whose husband was kidnapped in Vietnam". The Independent.
16. (September 14, 1959). "Public School Products".
17. "Thomas A. Rymer". [[Maryland State Archives]].
18. (April 23, 1918). "Washington lads star in college athletics". [[The Washington Times]].
19. (1 June 2016). "Poynter Fellowship: Michaela Angela Davis".
20. (9 April 2002). "In 'Pearl,' Kids Reign Supreme". [[The Washington Post]].
21. (24 July 2018). "Johnny Gill to Perform in RVA". The Washington Informer.
22. (April 6, 2012). "Opera star Denyce Graves joins Peabody Conservatory faculty". Baltimore Sun.
23. (April 21, 2017). "From D.C. Theater To '24': The Rise Of Actor Corey Hawkins". WAMU.
24. Itzkoff, Dave. (2010-08-26). "Footnote". The New York Times.
25. (2010-04-09). "Tracy Inman".
26. (10 August 1997). "Her Small Piece of the 'Rock'". [[The Washington Post]].
27. (August 25, 2019). "Ari Lennox Has Always Felt Slept On. That's What Motivates Her.". NPR.
28. (17 April 2018). "Meshell Ndegeocello on Fugazi, Go-Go, and Growing Up in DC". Washingtonian.
29. (November 23, 2000). "At Ellington, the Many Faces of Black Struggles". [[The Washington Post]].
30. (31 March 2020). "Wallace Roney, Jazz Trumpet Virtuoso, Is Dead at 59". [[The New York Times]].
31. (November 4, 2002). "Local trombonist writes, directs play about jazz". La Crosse Tribune.
32. (27 August 2017). "Ellington grad Lamman Rucker to host a fundraiser for the performing arts school". [[The Washington Post]].
33. Swinson, Cullen. (Spring 2020). "Game Changer: Peggy Cooper Cafritz".
34. (9 December 1987). "Ellington Grads Top the Charts". [[The Washington Post]].
35. (2 March 2016). "Mary Timony Is a Middle-Class Rock Star". Washingtonian.
36. "pdf - caa-newsletter".
37. "%22Marja Vallila western High school %22 - Google Search".
38. (4 May 2018). "D.C. native finds fame on hit show 'Handmaid's Tale'". Washington Blade.