Performing Arts Boosters

Ingraham Performing Arts Boosters

Welcome – My name is David Barnes, and I am the President of the Ingraham Performing Arts Boosters for 2012-13. 

The Ingraham Performing Arts Boosters is a group of parents, teachers & students dedicated to the mission of enhancing and enriching the school experience for all performing arts students at Ingraham.  We have been active as a group for nine years.  Through various means, we support the Concert Band, Marching Band & Color Guard, Jazz Band, Orchestra & Chamber Music, Theater/Drama and Choir.  We are an affiliate of the Alliance for Education (www.alliance4ed.org), a 501(c) (3) charitable organization. 

Booster activities in the past have included:

§  Helping with band camp and hosting the post-camp picnic in late August

§  Providing refreshments at school music concerts and drama performances

§  Supporting band & color guard students at the fall field show competitions in Everett and Auburn in October & November

§  Planning & organizing the annual Performing Arts Boosters dessert concert & auction in February, our major fund-raising event of the year; this work starts in the fall

§  Handling concessions for the color guard’s winter show

§  Organizing the end of school year department awards banquet/potluck

The way we further our mission is primarily by way of our fund-raising activities, but our goals also include expanding the reach of our programs to connect with Ingraham HS alumni and the community at large. 

We are always open to new ideas! 

In past years, we have been successful with several fund-raising efforts, which students can

participate in selling -

1.       Brown Bear prepaid carwash tickets during fall and spring

2.       “Flower Power” summer and fall bulbs during the spring

3.       Caffe Appassionato coffee – available all year

In recent years, our auction efforts have paid for tuning all the school’s pianos, a new cello, a new set of tympanis plus several other large percussion items, refurbishing a baritone saxophone, a digital recording system and new student chairs for both the band and orchestra rooms.  In 2011, we raised funds to assist with several students’ costs for a California trip/music festival .  In February 2012, our “raise the paddle” portion of the auction generated over $ 6,500, which funded the purchase of a new bass for the orchestra; we also were able to repair and renovate a large “laundry list” of band and orchestra instruments.

Trips & Travel

Part of being a student in Ingraham’s instrumental groups means being involved in out-of-town trips.  Our school has participated in the Victoria Day celebration & parade in May for over 50 years.  On this trip, the Band and Color Guard participate in various community events.   The Orchestra usually takes one trip, but the destination varies. 

The jazz band attends the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Moscow, Idaho as well as selected local festivals.  The Hampton festival occurs sometime around President’s Day. 

The color guard is part of the fall marching band competition ensemble, but also participates in their own Winterguard circuit (indoors), traveling to competitions in the local area.  One or two competitions are usually held at Ingraham during the winter season.  If our group hosts a competition, we have the opportunity to raise money handling the concessions.

In April 2012, Ingraham band & orchestra students travelled to southern California for the Heritage Music Festival and visited Disneyland.  We are trying to plan for this type of large trip about every other year going forward.

Performing arts students and their families pay the costs of the overnight trips.  In addition, there are also class “lab fees” of varying amounts for band, orchestra & drama, which covers a portion of departmental costs.

Cost estimates of the overnight trips are:

            Band & Color Guard -  Victoria, BC                $275 per student

            Jazz Band -  Moscow, ID                                 $200   “      “

Depending on your family’s philosophy and circumstances, students can easily raise the necessary travel money themselves with a moderate amount of effort.  One possible fund-raising plan would look like the following:

            Sell 10 tickets to the December benefit concert          $  150

            Sell 20 Brown Bear car wash tickets                             $  100

            Sell 10 tickets to the February auction                         $  150

How can parents help?

• Attend a Boosters meeting; we meet monthly for about an hour or so, to brainstorm new ideas, discuss current issues, and work on plans for upcoming activities.
• Encourage your student to keep you up to date on performing arts department happenings and participate in appropriate fund-raising activities.
• Volunteer: any amount of time that you may have available would be appreciated, for example -

• act as a chaperone on one of the trips or competitions
• help set up the refreshment table or contribute bakery items for our concerts or drama performances
• help organize part of the details for a field show or the auction
• assist with generating ideas, plan & carry out part of a fund-raising project
• help publicize an event
• work on the Marching Band uniforms during band camp in August; we need parents to help organize, fit and alter them. 
• serve on the Boosters board

Any contribution of time and effort will make a positive difference to all our  students, since public high school performing arts programs are funded at such low levels.   It’s also a really good way to meet involved parents and contribute to Ingraham’s programs.   Since the Alliance for Education is a qualified non-profit organization, we welcome your monetary donations to “AFE / Ingraham Performing Arts Boosters”, which are deductible as a charitable contribution to the extent allowed by law.

I have found that a nice benefit of being involved is getting to know our fun and talented students as well as our three terrific teachers.  You can really make it a direct, “up close and personal”, positive experience by contributing just a little of your time, energy, ideas and skills to the Ingraham Performing Arts Boosters.

If you have any questions, please call me at 206-919-0863 or send me an email at senrabad@live.com.  It helps a lot to get an email address so we can keep in contact.

Our meetings are normally held the first Tuesday of every month at 7:00 pm in the band room.   Everyone is always welcome! 

BOARD NOTES - The other members of our board are Arlen Horst, Treasurer; Joe Heim, Auction Chair; Kelly Olson, Secretary, and David Beauchamp, Director at Large.