Performing Arts Academy
Creating Community, Building Character, and Inspiring Excellence
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
PAA addresses the systemic issue of access to the arts for at-risk children and youth. Additionally, PAA seeks to foster and promote character development for children and youth through activities in the arts. PAA has created an inclusive program that focuses on children and youth becoming better versions of themselves through musical theatre experiences that includes rehearsals, classes and structured gathering time emphasizing principals and values that relate to empowerment and the building one's character.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Spring and Fall Programs
PAA’s artistic, educational, and technical teams carefully develop programs and select shows that ensure curriculum delivery, scalability for a large number of participants, technical feasibility, and manageable costs of production. We select these musical titles because of their suitability for the elementary, middle and high school age range and varied skill levels of the students. This will enable mastery of the show in the allocated timeframe and support a students’ sense of accomplishment.
The spring & fall sessions will offer approximately 40-50 total hours of curriculum- based instruction and programming time respectively. Two distinguishing components of PAA programs are ensemble gathering and small group time (which we call “families”) where we help students nurture values of character and community through leadership, sharing, building trust, and deepening friendships. For each program, students will receive snacks, a CD, script, and a commemorative show T-shirt. We will celebrate the completion of each after-school program with a cast party complete with pizza, fruit, juice boxes and ice cream.
Both Spring and Fall programs offer 1 or 2 musical theatre shows in addition to 18-24 different classes that relate to the areas of voice, acting and dance. In order to participate in the musical theatre production, each student must take at least one class that ranges from voice studio to improvisation to hip hop dance to tap to even clowning skills. PAA offers a wide variety of beginner to advanced levels of classes.
Summer Program
The summer musical theatre programs offer approximately 50-75 total hours of curriculum- based instruction and programming time respectively. Two distinguishing components of PAA programs are ensemble gathering and small group time (which we call “families”) where we help students nurture values of character and community through leadership, sharing, building trust, and deepening friendships. For each program, students will receive snacks, a CD, script, and a commemorative show T-shirt. We will celebrate the completion of each after-school program with a cast party complete with pizza, fruit, juice boxes and ice cream.
PAA produces 8-9 different summer musical theatre productions for three different grade levels: K-2nd, 2nd-6th and 7th-12th grades. Each musical theatre intensive is two weeks and includes rehearsals as well as 10-12 classes in voice, dance and acting with 2 performances at the end of each program. Most programs take place in area schools with the exception of the K-2nd student programs that take place at St. Luke's United Methodist Church. PAA additionally offers summer camp programs for ages 3-6 that are a week in length and have a shareformance at the end of the week for friends and family.
Outreach Program
Inspired by the success and growth of our established programs in the South Metro Denver area and a desire to introduce many more children to our unique arts education approach, PAA launched a pilot outreach program in the summer of 2014 to serve students in a low-income Littleton community. Our collaboration with Littleton Schools is thriving as we continue to reach at-risk children through high-quality performing arts and character building experiences that are typically inaccessible to them because of a lack of school or family resources. Children in this underserved community typically lack extended music and arts opportunities because of limited home and school resources. PAA’s spring and fall after-school outreach programs help to address these barriers. Our experience and research shows that students benefit from PAA’s structured but strongly nurturing environment of instruction, mentoring, and gathering time, which instills a sense of individual accomplishment, camaraderie, and a boost in confidence. Our core philosophy is that these influences positively affect children and youth in other areas of their lives, and supports a holistic education that includes arts, individual development and cultural enrichment.
The two after-school programs have the capacity to impact 100 or more students. Both after-school Musical Theatre Intensives include a show and instructional time and are at Field Elementary and East Elementary School for student’s grades 2nd - 5th. Both schools have very similar socio economic demographics in Littleton and are Title 1 schools in which 80-90% of the students are in the state administrated free and reduced lunch program.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Alta Independent 2020
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total number of performances
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups, Heterosexuals, LGBTQ people, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Spring and Fall Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The number represents the number of productions in which some productions had 1, 2 or 3 performances throughout the year.
Total number of free performances given
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
At-risk youth, Ethnic and racial groups, Heterosexuals, LGBTQ people, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Outreach Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of students participating in private lessons
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups, Heterosexuals, LGBTQ people, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Spring and Fall Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of free seats filled for performances
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
At-risk youth, Ethnic and racial groups, LGBTQ people, Heterosexuals, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Outreach Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Includes live stream as well as outreach programs.
Average dollar price for classes
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth, LGBTQ people, Heterosexuals, Ethnic and racial groups
Related Program
Spring and Fall Programs
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Average cost per hour or per class.
Total number of paid seats filled for performances
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups, LGBTQ people, Heterosexuals
Related Program
Spring and Fall Programs
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of free registrants to classes
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
At-risk youth, Ethnic and racial groups, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Spring and Fall Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of paid registrants to classes
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups, Heterosexuals, LGBTQ people, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Spring and Fall Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This metric is for Classes only. Number of paid registrants in Productions include nearly 1,200 students.
Total number of classes offered
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups, Heterosexuals, LGBTQ people, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Spring and Fall Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of audience members
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups, Heterosexuals, LGBTQ people
Related Program
Spring and Fall Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of free admissions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, Ethnic and racial groups, LGBTQ people, Women and girls, Men and boys
Related Program
Spring and Fall Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of paid admissions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Adults, Ethnic and racial groups, LGBTQ people
Related Program
Spring and Fall Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of students receiving personal instruction and feedback about their performance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups, LGBTQ people, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Spring and Fall Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
By offering a creative alternative for children and youth in a time of declining support for the performing arts, PAA serves the community through high quality programming, educationally sound performances and class opportunities that supports students of all backgrounds, socio-economic status and abilities. Within the context of these goals, PAA emphasizes common principals and values that relate to personal character development. Common principals and values such as dependability, humility, courage, trust, service, perseverance or team work are woven into the teachable moments within a program. PAA teaching artists and staff engage the students in how the principles and values play a role in their work together, in their family, and in the community that surrounds them in order to achieve PAA's mission and ultimate goal of building the children and youth in our community through the performing arts.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
In order to accommodate demand and need for high-quality performing arts education and programming, PAA will meet the challenges and explore new opportunities over the next 3 to 5 years. The Board of Directors and staff have been engaged in the focal issue of transitioning PAA to a business model that allows sustained growth, eventually serving thousands of children and youth. Substantial increased enrollment year over year on average of 18% in addition to declining school funding support for the arts have been key factors influencing organizational vision planning. By establishing annual strategic plans with the staff and board, PAA addresses these challenges earnestly and collaboratively, knowing that the viable path forward enables PAA to achieve its mission of transformative experiences for children and youth through the performing arts. In order to accommodate continued program expansion as well as expanding outreach programming that serves the needs of low income and at-risk children and youth, program space and donor development are key strategic issues that are continually addressed.
Growth and Program Space: PAA currently leases a 10,000 square foot facility that accommodates classes and rehearsals as well as limited small cast performances throughout the year. Larger productions require the rental of churches and schools. In 2022, PAA served over 1,300 students with a target goal of 2,000 students by the end of 2025. In order to sustain the current growth and expansion into additional communities, PAA will require a facility that can accommodate large scale productions and larger populations of students.
Donor Development: PAA's capital structure has been based primarily on earned income from tuition fees and contributed income from generous donors. Because of the commitment to maintaining competitive tuition rates and offering financial assistance to at-risk youth and families in need, contributions from the philanthropic will continue to be vital to the success of PAA's programs and ability to meet the mission of creating community, building character and inspiring excellence through performing arts education.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
PAA has been dedicated to providing high-quality performing arts education experiences and to advancing the importance of music and arts in our culture. Through an evolving yet established curriculum design and the desire to seek highly qualified staff and teaching artists, PAA promotes positive social interactions through structured and non-structured activities in rehearsals, classes, gathering times and performances. PAA staff employees have been highly involved and are critical in the successful artistic planning, marketing, technical, and operational decisions of all year round programs through weekly staff meetings and additional planning meetings. Each year, PAA contracts over 100 local and national teaching artists in the education or professional artist field to ensure the success of all productions, classes or camps.
As a governing body, PAA's board of directors provides oversight of assets; ensures financial health; guides strategy; develops and applies policies; and approves and enables resources to achieve the mission. PAA's volunteer board has been actively engaged in strategic business planning, community relations, audience development, and fundraising. They represent many areas of expertise, including education, business and executive leadership, technology development, nonprofit development, marketing, communications, and health care. The board has been committed to PAA's success, and demonstrates this through 100% participation in personal giving, consultative and in-kind contributions, donor development, and community engagement. Additionally, the board launched PAA's annual Stars in Arts Gala in 2013 as a premier fundraising and community development event that has grown from 100 to over 250 in attendance. Most board members have a personal connection to the performing arts and understand the lifelong benefits that children derive from participation and engagement. Because of this understanding, PAA's board has been fully committed to the success of all musical theatre programs, classes and camps as an important step toward fulfilling the mission of serving children in the South Metro Denver by creating community, building character and inspiring excellence through performing arts education.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
From 2006-20013, PAA was a summer program only. In 2014, PAA launched spring and fall 10-week curriculum driven classes accompanied with a musical theatre production in addition to a summer and after-school outreach program that included limited classes and a full musical theatre production. Throughout the years of program expansion, summer programming remained focused on honing the 2-week musical theatre intensive experience and increasing the number of programs that included voice, acting and dance classes with rehearsals for the musical productions performed for families and local audiences. As of the end of 2022, more than 9,000 students have participated in classes, productions and camps at PAA.
What's next!
1) Increasing total enrollment by 15-18% year over year by expanding into additional communities in Denver and South Metro Denver to positively impact 5,000 students per year by 2027.
2) Expand weekend workshops for dance, voice and acting in 3 target market locations.
3) Expand master-class opportunities for students to learn from and work with local and national talent.
4) Develop additional summer programs in additional communities by 2025: Denver, North Denver, Littleton, Highlands Ranch Castle Rock.
5) Increase and develop program offerings in Technical Theatre for older students that provides opportunities to learn the craft of building sets, sound design, light design, costume design, makeup, painting design, and projection design.
6) Expand the current work study program for students who want to learn and study various aspects of theatre management and direction under the supervision of teaching artists and employees. Create and design a student leadership council that provides opportunities of leadership in different areas including Board of Directors representation, selection of shows, and various assigned tasks that allow a more hands-on experience and understanding of the organization. Collaborate with the Colorado Youth Leadership organization to expand opportunities outside of PAA.
7) Expand the After School Outreach program to include year round programming in local Title 1 schools that provides access to low income students that engages the students, instills confidence, and foster collaboration. Additionally, increase the number of performances as the students prepare and apply their skills for school friends, families and the local community.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Performing Arts Academy
Board of directorsas of 03/18/2024
David Rhodes
Ken Fong
Retired Vice President, Lucent Technologies
David Rhodes
Retired Site Manager, Denver International Airport
Marty Davidson
President, AGS Construction
Holly Coors
LIV International Realty
Rebecca Givens
Moye White Lawfirm
Elise Collins
University of Denver, Development
Chris Brendlinger
Oil and Gas Industry
Carl Fitch
Retired Software Industry
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/24/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.