Local dignitaries and community advocates enjoyed a six-course sit-down dinner at the Centre on Thursday evening to support the Santa Clarita Valley WiSH Education Foundation annual “Wine on the Roof” fundraiser aimed to benefit local students.
Over 200 local residents enjoyed an evening of food and entertainment provided by the Valencia High School jazz band and the Golden Valley High School Folklorico ensemble as they socialized and enjoyed a wide range of food in an atmosphere reminiscent of a rooftop party.
The organization’s fundraising efforts help fund enrichment programs in the William S. Hart Union High School District.
“We’re a separate and distinct organization from the district. We fund only student programs in our district. Every single student since 2012 has benefited,” WiSH Education Foundation Executive Director Amy Daniels said. “We bridge the gap in state funding for education.”
Over the years, the organization has received additional support from local advocates who truly believe in the mission of providing programs and tools for success to local students that will allow them to nurture their passions, Daniels said.
The Golden Valley High School Folklorico ensemble, directed by Juanita Rojas, embodied confidence while they performed a five-minute piece in front of the many local dignitaries.
The group of dancers has developed into an entire class in which students can earn physical education or elective credit. Golden Valley is the only school in the Hart district that offers that option, said Rojas.
The WiSH Education Foundation has been integral to the group’s success, said Rojas. Dance shoes and skirts are two essential tools needed to accurately learn the dance and, with the help of the organization, all of her students were gifted the items free of cost.
The generous donation has allowed the Golden Valley High School Folklorico group to nurture a passion while gaining confidence and connecting with the community beyond their school hallways, a huge goal for Rojas, she said.
“One of my goals as a teacher is to really connect students to their school community and even beyond,” she said. “Not only do we perform [at school] but I have been able to connect the students to the community such as the Chamber of Commerce Latino Heritage event … (and) Principal for a Day. This has impacted them so much because most of our students don’t feel they’re an integral part of the community … That changes so many things for them.”
Another testimony to the importance of the foundation’s mission was during the COVID-19 pandemic: During a time of uncertainty and online learning, not may students owned or had the funds to purchase a computer to continue their school work during quarantine, said board member Selina Thomas.
“We gave over 300 Chromebooks and internet access to the students that didn’t have access, which makes a difference,” she said. “Even now it still resonates.”
During the evening festivities, guests could bid on silent auction items that would further benefit the foundation, which serves 23,000 local students from grades seven through 12 in the district.
