User:Jsaturay/Rosie's House

Introduction

Rosie’s House: A Music Academy for Children is committed to strengthening our community and playing a pivotal role in a child’s future. At Rosie’s House, a free music academy for children in inner-city Phoenix, we believe music education is a catalyst for changing the life of a child.

History
Over the course of the academy’s 14-year history, hundreds of students have participated in the music education and mentorship programs provided by Rosie's House: A Music Academy for Children.

Rosie’s House was founded in 1996 by Rosebell and Woody Schurz. Growing up in Munich during World War II, Rosebell experienced the disruption, extreme poverty and hunger of war. Her passion for playing the violin was interrupted by the horrific circumstances of the war and as a young child she fled from Germany to the United States. She started Rosie’s House to give underserved children the chance to experience the beauty of music in their lives.

The academy was founded as “The Christmas House” and was located in a small house in a South Phoenix neighborhood. Rosie and Woody Schurz and community members renovated the home to make it a safe place for neighborhood children to receive music lessons. In honor of the founder’s vision and efforts the academy was renamed Rosie’s House: A Music Academy for Children in 2002.

Rosie’s House began with 45 students and has since grown to a full-fledged music academy with over 300 students ages 5-18 benefitting from the power of music education each year. Offering private and group training for strings, woodwinds, brass, guitar, piano, and voice, Rosie’s House: A Music Academy for Children is a certified Institutional Member of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts.

Why Music?
Rosie’s House was founded on the belief that music education helps students build self-esteem, learn discipline and become creative thinkers – important skills necessary for being successful in academics and life. Our students come from diverse backgrounds but they all have one thing in common – the potential to be forever changed by the transformational experience of learning to play a musical instrument.

We Believe:
 * in teaching discipline, promoting dedication, and improving our students’ life skills through music education
 * in supporting both the elementary and advanced training of our students
 * in providing quality music instruction by dedicated professionals
 * in having a positive impact on the families of our students
 * in encouraging students to remain in school
 * in helping our students realize their college dreams
 * in adding beauty and hope to our students' lives through music

Board of Directors
Members of the Rosie’s House Board of Directors provide their business, philanthropic and artistic expertise to oversee the operations of the music academy. Their dedication and generosity are crucial in sustaining the music instruction and mentorship that Rosie’s House provides to hundreds of Phoenix-area children each year.

Alicia C. Funkhouser, President* - Attorney, Ely, Bettini, Ulman & Rosenblatt

Eric Kintner, Vice-President* - Attorney, Snell & Wilmer

Brent H. Taylor, Treasurer* - CPA, Fenix Financial Forensics

RaeAnne Marsh, Secretary* - Writer/Editorial Consultant, Grammar & Glitz

Karen Bea - Violist, The Phoenix Symphony

Lee Fraley - Attorney, Snell & Wilmer

Scott Day Freeman - Attorney, Fennemore Craig, P.C.

Patrick M. Healey - Financial Advisor, Wells Fargo Advisors

Katy Heth - Attorney, Salt River Project

Dr. Kimberly Marshall - Director, Arizona State University Herberger School of Music

Will Morey - Benefit Commerce Group

Rebecca Pusch - CPA, Fenix Financial Forensics

Luisa Salcedo - CPA, NetBillPro, LLC

Advisory Board
Gloria H. Abril - Circle K Corporation

Current Staff
Becky Bell - Executive & Artistic Director Becky Bell was appointed Executive & Artistic Director in August 2008. Prior to joining Rosie’s House: A Music Academy for Children, Bell oversaw the Phoenix Symphony’s Education & Community Engagement Department. In this capacity, she managed music education and community programs that served 80,000 children and adults annually. In addition to developing educational concerts, Bell managed two after school programs that provided underserved youth in South Phoenix and on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community with private music instruction.

With a background in non-profit management and education, Bell believes passionately in the power of education to positively impact the community. Her non-profit management experience includes budget administration, operations, fundraising projects, marketing activities and strategic planning with The Phoenix Symphony, Arizona State University School of Music and the Lake Forest Symphony. As a musician, Bell enjoys playing piano and horn and actively volunteers for the Phoenix Creative Music Movement, Downtown Chamber Series, Phoenix Chorale, Herberger College Alumni Chapter and The Junior League of Phoenix. Her greatest joy is watching a child immersed in concentration and wonderment as they learn to perform on a musical instrument.

Anne C. White, Ph.D., CFRE Director of Development A life-long passion for the arts including classical music, theater and dance was learned early in life when Anne’s father took her to the Metropolitan Opera every season beginning when she was five years old. As a native New Yorker, Anne attended Barnard College and Columbia University where she earned her Ph.D. in Psychology. Her work has focused on marketing and development and she has held senior management positions with organizations such as Planned Parenthood Federation of America, YWCA of the USA, and Special Olympics International. The American Cancer Society invited her to join them in Phoenix in the fall of 1994, where she became Vice President of the newly formed Southwest Division. Following her lifelong love of the arts, she became Vice President of Development for the Scottsdale Cultural Council working with the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Anne reopened her consulting firm in 2006, and is currently working with the Phoenix Boys Choir, Arizona Musicfest, Phoenix Chamber Music Society and as the part-time Director of Development for Rosie’s House. A former adjunct professor at five universities in the New York City area, Anne is a volunteer and served as Board and committee members of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Planned Giving Roundtable, and the Arizona Pain Initiative.

Dalia Mancillas Business Manager Dalia Mancillas has been employed with Rosie's House since 1999. Her office managerial skills include bookkeeping and payroll, volunteer oversight, event planning and acting as a translator for the organization. Dalia has been a key staff member in the academy’s growth and development over the past 10 years. She enjoys playing an active role in changing the lives of Phoenix-area youth through helping to provide them with a positive after school activity.