Winners Hail from Charter Oak, Glendale, Las Virgenes, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Pomona, San Marino, and Walnut Valley Unified School Districts

LOS ANGELES - The Music Center of Los Angeles County, a national leader in arts education, announced the winners of the 27th Annual BRAVO Awards on March 10, 2009 at an awards ceremony in Downtown Los Angeles. The awards ceremony honors teachers and schools for exemplary education in the arts and showcases the hard work and dedication these educators have given to their students, their profession and their communities.

Lindero Canyon Middle School in Agoura Hills (Las Virgenes USD) received the school award. Tyke O'Brien from Archer School for Girls in Los Angeles (Private) received the Generalist Teacher award. Receiving the Arts Specialist Teacher award were Suzanne Culbertson from Royal Oak Middle School (Charter Oak USD), Christine Godfrey from Cabrillo High School in Long Beach (Long Beach USD) Typhani Harris from Diamond Ranch High School in Pomona (Pomona USD), Joanne Karr from Walnut High School (Walnut Valley USD), Leo Krubsack from Millikan Middle School in Sherman Oaks (Los Angeles USD), Kaye Ogita from Valentine Elementary School in San Marino (San Marino USD), and Amy Rangel from Glendale High School in Glendale (Glendale USD). All winners also receive cash prizes: $2,000 to each teacher and $7,500 for the school award.

In an effort to acknowledge and recognize the many arts educator applicants and awardees, this year's event was held on stage at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and was hosted by acclaimed producer/director Garry Marshall. The evening included performances by 2008 Bravo award winner San Marino High School Chamber Singers and Santa Monica High School Symphony Orchestra, lead by 2008 Bravo finalist Joni Swenson.

The Music Center BRAVO Awards were established in 1983 to recognize teachers and schools for innovation and excellence in arts education and are an integral part of the Music Center's leadership in supporting quality arts education for all students. The BRAVO Awards honor educators who use the arts to revitalize teaching, enhance student achievement and foster self-esteem, teamwork and cross-cultural communication and understanding.

Cash prizes accompanying the teacher awards are made possible, in part, by generous gifts from Club 100 members Mary Levin Cutler, Sue Tsao, and Elinor Turner. The BRAVO Awards are sponsored in part by Club 100; a group of dynamic women dedicated to supporting arts education programs at the Music Center. Sheila Poncher and Marjorie Bender are Club 100 co-presidents and 2008 Bravo co-chairs are Janice Wallace and Sue Tsao. Additional support provided by The Sascha Brastoff Foundation and The Lawrence P. Frank Foundation.