According to the College Board Entrance Examination, "Students with backgrounds in the arts score higher on SAT's than students with no coursework in the arts."

The City of East Chicago and the Carnegie Performing Arts Association (a local, nonprofit organization led by local citizens and business representatives) know exactly how important the arts are to inner-city youth. That very premise is the outcome of a city partnership to renovate the old Carnegie library on Grand Boulevard and transform the now-vacant building into a state-of-the-art performing arts center.

That dream is quickly becoming a reality as Carnegie campaign coordinator Lauren Bukovac reports that the center is "picking up momentum" with its partnership from both the public and private sectors. "We have officially secured over $1.8 million of the $4.2 needed to complete the building," Bukovac added.

Campaign leaders are applying for historic tax credits through the National Parks Service, aimed at generating $1.3 million toward the project. Contributions from businesses such as Safety-Kleen, Calumet Electric, Centier Bank, Citizens Bank, National City Bank, Peoples Bank and Standard Bank have assisted this project tremendously and its completion in spring 2009 is anxiously awaited.

"The Carnegie Performing Arts Center is just the beginning of a larger vision we have for the North Harbor," said Mayor George Pabey. The Carnegie library, constructed in 1913, played an important role in the lives of East Chicagoans for more than 70 years. The Redevelopment Authority owns the facility and has developed a partnership with the Performing Arts Association and the city.

This partnership is the result of creating a community arts facility offering art education, gallery exhibits, dance, music and theater to the residents of East Chicago and surrounding communities. The facility will be positioned as a centerpiece for use by local corporations, art groups, live performance and the city public school system to reintroduce art to the curriculum of the elementary and middle schools.

"I have witnessed first hand the power of the arts," Pabey said. "I remember attending a Viva PATS (Performing Arts and Theater School) concert when they just started their program. In less than six months, these students made a remarkable transformation from beginners to musicans."

Community organizations like Viva PATS, whose students now play at the prestigious Chicago Symphony Orchestra Hall, will directly benefit by using the center. This facility is a symbol of East Chicago's commitment to moving forward with exceptional opportunities only achieved by forging partnerships with corporations, community organizations and individuals working together to make this city flourish once again.

For more information on the Carnegie Performing Arts Center, call campaign coordinator Lauren Bukovac at (219) 558-0383.

Damian Rico is a Public Relations Consultant to the City of East Chicago. The opinions expressed are solely his own. Reach him at darico2@aol.com or (219) 391-8206.