FORT WORTH, Texas — A Fort Worth charter school for arts that focuses on the arts is in dire straits.
It's a school where music is everything for students in Marcus Wolfe's class. He teaches at The Academy of Visual and Performing Arts. The school is in South Fort Worth on purpose because that's where the school's founder Stephanie Love grew up poor, and they target students in the 76104 ZIP code.
"If you look at any statistic for that zip code, you know, that is the lowest in every category in the entire state, from life expectancy to poverty to educational attainment," said Love. "It was hard by the time I was in elementary school, by the time I was in fifth grade, I had attended six different elementary schools, all of them in 76104, and because of the circumstances our family was in. I was in and out of foster care homes. I didn't have anybody that loved me or supported me as a child."
Her school helps struggling students like she once was.
It's a tuition-free, open-enrollment public charter school for 6th, 7th and 8th graders. The school is set to help students thrive in the arts, theater, and even dance takes center stage. What's also impressive is that Love says at her school, academically students are at their best.
Sixth grader Serenity Franklin started caring about her grades as early as second grade. Now she is a constant honor student.
"Only at this school have I been able to get straight A's, and I'm very happy about that," Serenity said.
Serenity even spoke at the State Board of Education. She helped convince board members to approve AVPA's charter. Love asked the board to hear testimony from students so it would understand the potential impact AVPA could have on young students interested in the arts.
But now the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts is in trouble. Their budget for the school year has a $2 million budget hole to fill now. AVPA started a new campaign to save the school. It's a position Love never expected to find herself in.
"I have to ask for help from my community in this case," said Love. "One of our major funders decided not to fund our program and we are needing to cover that deficit so that we can stay open."
AVPA currently has 115 students, 18 teachers and 14 support staff on payroll. After so much progress in her old ZIP code, Love would hate for the school to shut down.
"We have to give our kids a chance," said Dr. Love.
Love is now taking a chance on their "SAVE OUR SCHOOL" campaign to help them stay open. Along with a letter sent to their school's families, they have set up a call to action donation link.
AVPA informed parents and students about the financial challenges they're facing on Wednesday afternoon.