Goodwill of Arizona and Marcos
de Niza High School’s Choir and
Drama Program have teamed up for
the second year in a row, providing an
opportunity to empty those overstuffed
closets and garages while helping
underprivileged families at the same
time.
The event is scheduled 9 a.m.
to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13. Goodwill
collection trucks, along with choir
and drama students, will point the
way to the sale location on the Marcos
campus.
Marcos de Niza High School is at
6000 S. Lakeshore Drive, Tempe.
Becky Ottinger, president of the
school’s choir and drama parents
support group, said last year’s effort
brought in 25,000 pounds of castoffs—
four truckloads—and was the
biggest drive to date, resulting in
Goodwill bumping up to $3,000 its
payoff to the school.
According to Ottinger, Marcos de
Niza boasts an award-winning choir
and drama program, emphasized by
its A cappella choir singing in Times
Square and at the U.S.S. Intrepid
Museum in New York City over
Spring Break last year.
Although it was a costly trip for
many Marcos musicians and thespians,
the Goodwill funds helped offset a
portion of the cost for every student
making the trip, according to Ottinger.
The money raised at this year’s
drive is aimed at supporting the spring
musical “Footloose” and helping create
enhanced décor for the lobby in the
school’s auditorium.
Said Ottinger:
“Fine arts in public schools
struggles with reduced funding and
support. Yet student involvement in
the arts has been shown to be crucial
for a successful life after high school.”
In 2009, she said, Americans
for the Arts presented a report that
showed students who participated in
the arts in high school were more likely
to complete a college degree, get a job
and be a community volunteer than
those who did not.
Additional studies find that arts
instruction enhances cognitive reading
skills, writing and math learning and
retention, Ottinger noted.
Marcos de Niza Choir and Drama
Parents is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt
organization.
