Barry Manilow Of Woodland Hills Donates $100k To LAUSD For Instruments
Okay, people make fun of Barry Manilow but I’ll tell you what – I’m a fan! Manilow, who is apparently a resident of Woodland Hills, donated $100,000 to the Los Angeles Unified School District for the purchase of instruments. That rocks – pardon the pun!
Legendary vocalist Barry Manilow has donated $100,000 to the Los Angeles Unified School District, and is touted on the LAUSD website for his generosity. In a front page greeting titled ‘Thank you Mr. Manilow’, Superintendent Ramon C. Cortines thanks Mr. Manilow for the donation, which will go to purchase “clarinets, flutes, saxophones, trumpets, trombones and other instruments”.
Manilow, of Woodland Hills CA, made news among Ron Paul supporters when it was noted that he donated $2300 to Ron Paul’s presidential campaign in 2007. Manilow also donated to four Democractic presidential contenders Obama, Clinton, Biden and Edwards.
Cortines notes on the LAUSD website that Manilow “is determined to make sure that our students continue to receive that kind of instruction despite round after round of state budget cuts”.
From the LAUSD site:
Thank You Mr. Manilow
One of my favorite Barry Manilow songs is “Can’t Smile Without You.” Thanks to his generosity, many of our students will be smiling when they receive new clarinets, flutes, saxophones, trumpets, trombones and other instruments his foundation, The Manilow Music Project, is donating to the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Barry Manilow remembers how music education changed his life in school. He is determined to make sure that our students continue to receive that kind of instruction despite round after round of state budget cuts. A special, first-ever solo concert Barry Manilow performed Saturday, Oct. 24 at the Hollywood Bowl raised $100,000, along with the GRAMMY Foundation, for music instruments for LAUSD students.
I joined my old friend Barry Manilow on stage where he presented me with a $100,000 check. Music reduces dropout rates and increases graduation rates in Los Angeles as soon as you put an instrument in a student’s hand. Music and the arts are essential for a well-rounded education.
Thank you Barry Manilow for this generous donation on behalf of our students, teachers, administrators and District. Can’t smile without you.
Ramon C. Cortines, Superintendent
While Mandy is a favorite of mine, this is for you, Mr. Cortines:
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Taft Hopeful Bercovici Will Gain Eligibility, Hearing Set For Nov 12
Eric Sondheimer writes for LA Times:
Woodland Hills Taft continues to hope that junior quarterback Michael Bercovici, a transfer from Westlake, will gain his eligibility from the City Section.
Sondheimer also told me in a Twitter message this week that Bercovici has a hearing set for the issue on November 12th.
In other Woodland Hills football news, El Camino Real recovers from its loss last week to Taft and defeats Cleveland 19 to 7.
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Taft Coach Kerstetter Gets Ejected, Must Sit Out Season Finale Next Week
Taft got a little complacent after last week’s big win against El Camino Real and lost what should have been a relatively easy game against Birmingham on Friday. Tempers flared up due to a missed ‘tripping’ call and Kersetter ended up getting a post game ejection, which means he has to sit out the game this week.
It was shocking enough when Birmingham of Lake Balboa upset heavily favored Taft of Woodland Hills 44-32 on Friday.
But the aftermath is even bigger.
So upset was Taft coach Matt Kerstetter that he berated an official after the game and was ejected, which technically didn’t mean anything at the time – but now Kerstetter must sit out Taft’s finale Friday at Cleveland of Reseda, per section rules whenever someone is ejected.
Check out the full article for more details.
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Racap of Taft vs El Camino Real on October 30th
It was a tough game in which El Camino Real lost its QB to a concussion. Those interested in a game recap should follow this link to the Daily News.
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Eric Sondheimer Reports: Taft 28, ECR 21 – Final
In what must certainly be disheartening for El Camino Real, which went into tonight’s game with a perfect 7-0 record, they have been defeated by their Woodland Hills rival Taft, 28 to 21.
Source: @latsondheimer on Twitter.
I wonder how this will affect ECR Coach Kevin Williams’ plan to move El Camino up to Division I next year.
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LA Times Taking Notice – “The Battle of Woodland Hills” This Friday!
In the battle of Woodland Hills high school football bragging rights nothing so big has happened in almost 20 years. LA Times sports writer Eric Sondheimer has taken notice with a blog entry and a full detailed article on Friday’s matchup between Taft and El Camino Real. He writes:
In Woodland Hills, the two public high schools, Taft and El Camino Real, have each won national academic decathlon titles. But in sports, the similarities have been few and far between.
Taft has been a football and basketball powerhouse. El Camino Real has won five City championships in baseball and won a state title in boys soccer.
But something unusual is happening in football. El Camino Real is the team that comes into the battle of Woodland Hills on Friday night unbeaten. The Conquistadores are 7-0 overall and 2-0 in the West Valley League. Taft is 4-3 and 2-0. El Camino Real hasn’t beaten the Toreadors in a football game since 1991. The Conquistadores get to host Taft in a 7 o’clock showdown for first place in the West Valley League.
“It’s probably going to be the biggest game we’ve had with El Camino in the last 20 years,” Taft Coach Matt Kerstetter said.
This is definitely going to be interesting. The article also points out:
Taft, however, has played a much stronger schedule than the Conquistadores, having lost to Gardena Serra, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Mission Hills Alemany, three schools that have been ranked in the top 25 by The Times. El Camino Real’s best win came in the season opener against Newhall Hart.
The game is being played at ECR and adult admission is $7.00.
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El Camino Real High School Celebrating 40 Year Anniversary – Banners Around Town
LA Time’s Eric Sondheimer writes:
Woodland Hills El Camino Real is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a high school, and the school this past week put up 19 banners on lamp posts around its streets featuring photos of athletic and academic accomplishments.
It’s a classy way to document and publicize the school’s accomplishments. Pitcher Jose Cardona is on the baseball banner. Running back Ra’Shon Harper is on the football banner. There will be 19 more banners going up in six months.
The embedded video above features ECR assistant athletic director Vinnie Orlando.
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