OUR IMPACT

Introducing children to music during one of the most
integral phases of growth and development

THE OPUS IMPACT

The Opus Project is one of the nation’s most successful public-private partnerships, having built the value proposition for guaranteeing high quality arts education for students in the Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD). In response to increasing cuts to arts programs in California schools, SDYS launched the El Sistema-inspired “Community Opus Project” in partnership with CVESD in 2010. Beginning with two after-school programs, administrators quickly saw metrics demonstrating Opus was making a difference for their students:

  • Increased attendance rates (resulting in higher state funding allocations),
  • Higher grades in the classroom and on standardized tests, and
  • Stronger rates of parent engagement in school life.

As a result of these indicators, CVESD made a landmark $15 million dollar commitment to restore arts education and hire full time arts teachers in every one of their 46 schools. In less than five years, the success of the program inspired CVESD to provide arts education to all of its 30,000 students after over 17 years without arts education instruction during the school day. SDYS was also honored to involve the Save the Music Foundation (formerly VH1 Save the Music) as part of its growing coalition working to make change in San Diego’s south county.

RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS

  • In 2022, The Opus Project piloted new program sites at Title I schools, expanding into two additional districts—San Diego Unified School District and Santee School District.
  • The Opus Project launched its first summer camp intensive in 2023 through funding from the San Diego Foundation. The camp ran five days a week for three weeks, culminating in a celebratory showcase of learning and creativity. The camp also featured two family nights aimed at connecting families and building community around food, games, and sing-a-longs.
  • SDYS updated its tuition assistance policy in 2023, making tuition-based programs (such as the youth orchestras, ChIMES, and Music Discovery) completely free for Opus Project students and their families.

PARTNERS