The Duke Ellington School of the Arts (established 1974) is a

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

located at 35th Street and R Street,

Northwest, Washington, D.C. Northwest (NW or N.W.) is the northwestern quadrant of Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and is located north of the National Mall and west of North Capitol Street. It is the largest of the four quadrants of the city (NW, NE, S ...

, and dedicated to arts education. One of the high schools of the District of Columbia Public School system, it is named for the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

bandleader and composer Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (1899–1974), himself a native of

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

The building formerly housed Western High School. The building is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. Graduates of the school are prepared to pursue an artistic and theatric occupation. In addition to completing the traditional public school college prep curriculum, students must audition for and complete studies in one of the following artistic areas: dance,

literary Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...

media Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass e ...

and

communications Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...

museum studies Museology or museum studies is the study of museums. It explores the history of museums and their role in society, as well as the activities they engage in, including curating, preservation, public programming, and education. Terminology The w ...

instrumental music An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to instru ...

vocal music Vocal music is a type of singing performed by one or more singers, either with instrumental accompaniment, or without instrumental accompaniment (a cappella), in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Music which employs singing but d ...

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

, technical design and production, and

visual arts The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, filmmaking, design, crafts and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual art, and textile art ...

. The school developed from the collaborative efforts of

Peggy Cooper Cafritz Peggy Cooper Cafritz (born Pearl Alice Cooper; April 7, 1947 – February 18, 2018) was an American art collector, educator, civil rights activist, philanthropist, and socialite. Early life and education Family life Born Pearl Alice Cooper, P ...

, a long-time member of the D.C. School Board and Mike Malone, a veteran of

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

, off-Broadway, contemporary dancer,

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

, and master choreographer, who were co-founders of

Workshops for Careers in the Arts Workshops for Careers in the Arts was a professional training program especially designed for artistically talented teenagers which took place on the campus of The George Washington University in a joint collaboration. Designated a pilot program, ...

in 1968. In 1974 this workshop program developed into the Duke Ellington School of the Arts at Western High School, an

accredited Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

four-year public high school program combining

arts The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both ...

and

academics An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

. It is currently operated as a joint partnership between D.C. Public Schools, the

Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...

, and

George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Chartered in 1821 by the United States Congress, GWU is the largest Higher educat ...

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 The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people o ...

, various PhDs, and DCPS's only national board certified teacher (NBCT) in young adulthood English/

language arts Language arts (also known as English language arts or ELA) is the study and improvement of the arts of language. Traditionally, the primary divisions in language arts are literature and language, where language in this case refers to both lingu ...

. 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 In education, a curriculum (; : curricula or curriculums) is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur in the educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to a view ...

requires students earn 34% more credits than those at other D.C. public high schools. Students must maintain a minimum grade point average in both academics and the arts to be permitted to perform and, ultimately, to stay enrolled at Ellington. The school has a 99% on-time graduation rate.

Arts

Ellington's mission is to emphasize the arts as much as academics. It offers training in eight disciplines: Dance, Literary Media and Communications, 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 Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has promoted classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Award ...

Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...

Lynn Whitfield Lynn Whitfield ('' née'' Smith; born February 15, 1953) is an American actress. She began her acting career in television and theatre before progressing to supporting roles in film. She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a ...

, 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

, Gospel, Spirituals,

Opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

, and R&B. Samuel L. E. Bonds Sr., who retired from the school in 2018, studied with

Todd Duncan Robert Todd Duncan (February 12, 1903 – February 28, 1998) was an American baritone opera singer and actor. One of the first African-Americans to sing with a major opera company, Duncan is also noted for appearing as Porgy in the premier prod ...

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 ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' reported that the D.C. government was studying a plan to relocate the school to a new site near

Union Station A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...

. Jack Evans, the D.C. Council member for the school's host ward, advocates 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 An online petition (or Internet petition, or e-petition) is a form of petition which is signed online, usually through a form on a website. Visitors to the online petition sign the petition by adding their details such as name and email address. T ...

and a

Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...

group with over 1,700 members. Shortly after ''The Washington Post'' report, D.C. Schools Chancellor

Michelle Rhee Michelle Ann Rhee (born December 25, 1969) is an American educator and advocate for education reform. She was Chancellor of District of Columbia Public Schools from 2007 to 2010. In late 2010, she founded StudentsFirst, a non-profit organizati ...

announced that the school will not be moved in the near future.

Renovation

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

Notable alumni

Western High School *

Ruth Chew Ruth Chew (April 8, 1920 – May 13, 2010) was an American Children's literature, children's author and illustrator of over 30 children's books, most of which were juvenile fantasy. The books were early-reader chapter books and usually center ...

, author * Barbara J. Fields, historian * Ernest W. Gibson III, Associate Justice of the

Vermont Supreme Court The Vermont Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Vermont. Unlike most other states, the Vermont Supreme Court hears appeals directly from the trial courts, as Vermont has no intermediate appeals court. The Court ...

* Solange Hertz, Catholic author * 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 John Esten "Billick" Whelchel (April 1, 1898 – November 5, 1973) was a decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of Vice admiral (United States), Vice Admiral, American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator ...

, United States Navy vice admiral and football coach Duke Ellington School for the Arts * Dave Chappelle, comedian *

Michaela Angela Davis Michaela Angela Davis is a writer on African-American style, race, gender and hip-hop culture in the United States. She is also a fashion expert and an "image activist." Early life Michaela Angela Davis was born on March 31, 1964, in Landshut, ...

, ''

Essence Essence ( la, essentia) is a polysemic term, used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property or set of properties that make an entity or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it ...

'' magazine Executive Fashion & Beauty Editor, writer, author, commentator, and speaker * Matthew Dickens, actor/singer/dancer and writer/producer/director *

Johnny Gill Johnny Gill Jr. (born May 22, 1966) is an American singer and actor. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B/pop group New Edition and was also a member of the supergroup called LSG, with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. Gill has released e ...

, R&B singer *

Denyce Graves Denyce Graves (born March 7, 1964) is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer. Early life Graves was born on March 7, 1964, in Washington, D.C., to Charles Graves and Dorothy (Middleton) Graves-Kenner. She is the middle of three children and ...

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

singer *

Corey Hawkins Corey Antonio Hawkins (born October 22, 1988) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the TV series '' The Walking Dead'' and '' 24: Legacy'', as well as his portrayal of Dr. Dre in the 2015 film '' Straight Outta Compton''. In 2017, ...

, Actor,

singer *

Tracy Inman Tracy Inman (born January 5, 1961 in Washington D.C.) is an American dancer, choreographer, and educator who performed with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. He is currently the co-director of The Ailey School and a choreographer & consultant ...

, dancer with

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) is a modern dance company based in New York City. It was founded in 1958 by choreographer and dancer Alvin Ailey. It is made up of 32 dancers, led by artistic director Robert Battle and associate ...

and co-director of The Ailey School *

Simbi Khali Simbi Khali (born April 28, 1971), sometimes credited as Simbi Kali Williams, is an American actress and singer best known for her role as Nina Campbell on the NBC sitcom ''3rd Rock from the Sun''. Her credits include the television show ''Mar ...

, actress *

Ari Lennox Courtney Shanade Salter (born March 26, 1991), known professionally as Ari Lennox, is an American R&B singer from Washington, D.C. She is the first female artist to be signed to J. Cole's record label, Dreamville Records. She began gaining re ...

, singer *

Meshell Ndegeocello Michelle Lynn Johnson, better known as Meshell Ndegeocello (; born August 29, 1968), is a German-born American singer-songwriter, rapper, and bassist. She has gone by the name Meshell Suhaila Bashir-Shakur which is used as a writing credit on so ...

, bassist, singer *

Serena Reeder Serena Olanthe Reeder (born April 8, 1983) is an American theater, film, and television actor and screenwriter. Reeder was born in Washington, DC. She is best known for her roles in the films The Bucket List, Get Rich or Die Tryin', The Architec ...

, Actress *

Wallace Roney Wallace Roney (May 25, 1960 – March 31, 2020) was an American jazz ( hard bop and post-bop) trumpeter. He has won 1 Grammy award and has two nominations. Roney took lessons from Clark Terry and Dizzy Gillespie and studied with Miles Davis fr ...

trumpeter * Gregory Charles Royal,

trombonist The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

, playwright *

Lamman Rucker Lamman Rucker (born October 6, 1971) is an American actor. Rucker began his career on the daytime soap operas ''As the World Turns'' and ''All My Children'', before roles in ''The Temptations (miniseries), The Temptations'', Tyler Perry's films ...

, actor *

Adam Serwer Adam Serwer (born 1982) is an American journalist and author. He is a staff writer at ''The Atlantic'' where his work focuses on politics, race, and justice. He previously worked at Buzzfeed News, ''The American Prospect'', and '' Mother Jones'' ...

, journalist and author *

Tony Terry Antonio "Tony" Terry (born March 12, 1964) is an American soul/ new jack swing singer from Washington, D.C., who had several R&B hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Biography Singing Terry is a graduate at the Duke Ellington School of th ...

, singer *

Mary Timony Mary Bozana Timony (born October 17, 1970) is an American independent singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, and violist. She has been a member of the bands Helium, Autoclave and Wild Flag, and currently fronts Ex Hex. Timony's music is o ...

, musician *

Marja Vallila Marja Vallila (October 20, 1950 – December 23, 2018) was an American artist, painter, ceramicist and sculptor. Biography Marja Vallila was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia to a Finnish father, diplomat Olli Vallila, and a mother of Czech desce ...

, sculptor *

Samira Wiley Samira Denise Wiley (born April 15, 1987) is an American actress. She is best known for her starring role as Poussey Washington in the Netflix comedy-drama series '' Orange Is the New Black'' (2013–2019) and as Moira in the Hulu dystopian dr ...

, Actress

References

External links

*
D.C. Public Schools
{{authority control Public high schools in Washington, D.C. Art schools in Washington, D.C. Schools of the performing arts in the United States District of Columbia Public Schools Duke Ellington Educational institutions established in 1974 Neoclassical architecture in Washington, D.C. School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. Magnet schools in Washington, D.C.