Rhythm and Arithmetic in New Orleans, LA
April 21st, 2017
ENCORE Academy opened in 2012 with a vision of providing New Orleans children with a rigorous academic education strengthened by integrating arts into its curriculum. In 2015, ENCORE moved from a cramped facility that it shared with other organizations into a renovated school building that had been vacant since Hurricane Katrina. HOPE provided $2 million in subordinate financing to make the $7 million purchase and renovation possible. ENCORE, an open-enrollment public charter school, originally enrolled 200 students from Pre-K through fifth grade. Terri Smith, ENCORE’s leader and Chief Executive Officer, shared some of its early accomplishments: “We’re in our fourth year of operation, and we have proven that arts along with academics work.” As word of the school’s innovative curriculum and academic success spread, enrollment soared rapidly to nearly 500, and ENCORE expanded to serve students up to the eighth grade. This growth led to the need for more space and to the partnership with HOPE. According to Ms.Smith, “When people from HOPE came, they recognized our commitment to ensure that all kids receive a great academic program as well as the arts. Eighty-eight percent of [the children] are living in poverty. A large portion of our children are African American, but currently, 15 percent of our kids are Hispanic. We have a Caucasian population as well. So our population is a real reflection of the city of New Orleans.” Ms. Smith says, “There’s a lot of joy in this building. If you can provide a great education for kids and also bring great joy to their lives – that has to be the greatest reward on the planet.
