Getting ready!

We can't wait for Saturday!

In case you're missing your packing list or medicine labeling form, they can be downloaded here:
Packing List
Medicine Labeling Form
Then we'll see you on the bus! Bus schedule pdf

Bus A

Placentia-Yorba Linda

Education Services Center

4999 Casa Loma Avenue

Yorba Linda, CA 92886  

Student arrival time: 7:45 am

Bus Departs: 8:05 am

Garden Grove

Garden Grove Unified District Office

10331 Stanford Ave

Garden Grove, CA 92840

Student Arrival Time: 8:25 am

Bus Departs: 8:45 am

Santa Ana

Santa Ana Unified District Office

1601 E Chestnut Ave.           

Santa Ana, CA 92701

Student Arrival Time: 9:10am

Bus Departs: 9:30 am

Bus B

Saddleback Valley

Saddleback Valley Unified District Office

25631 Peter A Hartman Way

Mission Viejo, CA 92691

Student Arrival Time: 7:50am

Bus Departs: 8:10am

Irvine

Irvine Unified District Office

5050 Barranca Parkway

Irvine, CA 92604

Student Arrival Time: 8:35 am

Bus Departs: 8:55 am

Newport-Mesa

California Elementary

3232 California Street
Costa Mesa, CA                                             

Student Arrival Time: 9:15 am                             

Bus Departs: 9:35 am 

Parents, check back here daily for updates. Then we look forward to seeing you at our Parent Presentation on Tuesday. It begins at 6:45 at Newport Mesa Church, 2599 Newport Blvd. on the Vanguard Campus.

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See you soon!

Excursion Spotlight: NCI Discovery

Session 3 will be there for the birth of not one but FOUR new ballets created as part of the intensive 3-week process of the National Choreographers Initiative. Four noted choreographers and sixteen professional ballet dancers from ballet companies across the country participate in this southern California project with national influence. A dozen of the pieces begun here have gone on to be premiered or developed further and performed elsewhere in the U.S. and abroad. The project culminates in a public performance showcasing the excitement of new creation. It's also an opportunity to hear the choreographers talk about their concepts and ideas and for you to ask questions and participate in the discussion. It's a mind-expanding excursion into the world of dance.

Excursion Spotlight: Behind the scenes of The Wedding Singer

I love the ‘80s!  Sessions 1 and 2 will get taken back to 1985 by the Musical Theatre West production of the hit musical The Wedding Singer, based on the Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore film!  A small town wedding singer gets jilted at his own wedding, then falls in love with someone else’s fiancée. Check out this behind the scenes video:

Excursion Spotlight: Pacific Symphony

arts-X-press students in all three weeks get a chance to have lunch with Pacific Symphony musicians so that they can learn more what the life of a professional musician is really like. So it's always exciting to see them onstage!

The 5 Browns

Week 1 will hear The 5 Browns at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. The 5 Browns — five siblings, five virtuosos — took the music world by storm in 2002, when People magazine called them "The Fab Five." How often do you get to hear FIVE PIANISTS all at once?

Week 3 will attend Symphony in the Cities in Irvine. This popular event attracts thousands of people each summer. Featuring high-quality family entertainment in the great outdoors, the Symphony is joined this year by the Southern California Childrens' Chorus.

Carl St.Clair

Both concerts will be conducted by Music Director Carl St.Clair. Carl has been an important part of arts-X-press since the very beginning, and continues to be an inspiration to students and alumni.

Don't worry, Week 2--you will also get a chance to see your musician friends in action. Many Pacific Symphony musicians also play in the orchestras for Pageant of the Masters and Mary Poppins.

Excursion Spotlight: Pageant of the Masters

Get ready to believe in the art of the impossible! All three sessions will be attending the 2011 Pageant of the Masters, Only Make Believe. In its uniquely theatrical celebration of "living pictures," it is a passport to explore worlds populated by ancient and modern superheroes and strange, mythical creatures. It will also showcase the creative expressions of artists who devoted themselves to conjuring everything from Victorian historical fantasies, illustrations for fairytales beginning "once upon a time," to futuristic visions of things to come, all in a breathtaking performance of "art that lives and breathes." arts-X-pressers will enjoy hands on activities with real artists at Festival of the Arts preceding the Pageant.

Packing Lists, Bus Schedules, and Medications

We are getting ready to go! In case you misplaced any of your forms that you received at the Summer Orientation, they are available for download here:
Packing List
Medicine Labeling Form
Bus Schedule
If you didn't turn in your bus stop preference at the orientation meetings, please e-mail or phone in your preferences as soon as possible.

Only 25 days until the start of session 1!

New Staff

Introducing some fabulous new staff and counselors!

Carrie Villanueva has been involved with AXP for years, and will be assisting with paperwork, parent phone calls and e-mails. Carrie also works on Pacific Symphony's Class Act program.

Garret at the 10-year reunion in 2010

Garret Wehrman is definitely not new. He was part of the very first class of arts-X-press in 2001, then spent several years as a counselor, and THEN was the Coordinator last summer. We are thrilled that Garret will be returning once again as the Coordinator for Week 3.

Gavin Kane will be joining us as a counselor for Week 2. Gavin is a student at OCHSA and was part of the AXP class of 2007.

Summer Orientation

Please plan to attend one of these meetings so you don’t miss out on important info on bus stops, excursions, and what to pack. Students are encouraged to attend this meeting as it is their first chance to meet some of their fabulous counselors! Please bring all forms and payments with you.

June 6, 7:00 pm, Building A, Board Room
June 11, 10:00 a.m., Building D, Rooms 1004-06

Both meetings are at the Orange County Dept. of Education, 200 Kalmus Dr., Costa Mesa. 

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AXP Events This Week

AXP Welcome Night
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Piano soloist Yuja Wang has been replaced due to illness. She is being replaced by Conrad Tao who is just 16 years old!

When:         Concert begins at 3 pm 

Where:       Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall

Orange County Performing Arts Center

Parking:     Parking is available in adjacent structures and at the Wyndham Hotel for $8-10.  OCPAC is also accessible by OCTA. 

What to wear: These are afternoon casual concerts, so wear what makes you comfortable.

***Be sure to stop by the Welcome Table in the lobby to get a special treat!***

Tickets are available for purchase until 4 pm on June 3.
1.     Call the Pacific Symphony Box Office at (714) 755-5799.
2.     Mention you are from arts-X-press to receive the special discount price (Students: $10, Adults: $20)3.     Pick your tickets up at the Will Call window.

For maps, information on restaurants, and lots more info, click on “Enhance Your Experience” at www.pacificsymphony.org
We do not recommend this concert for children under the age of 8.
This is an optional event, but we hope to see you there!

Summer Orientations
Please plan to attend one of these meetings so you don’t miss out on important info on bus stops, excursions, and what to pack. Students are encouraged to attend this meeting as it is their first chance to meet some of their fabulous counselors! Please bring all forms and payments with you.

June 6, 7:00 pm, Building A, Board Room
June 11, 10:00 a.m., Building D, Rooms 1004-06

Both meetings are at the Orange County Dept. of Education, 200 Kalmus St., Costa Mesa. 

View Larger Map 

See you soon!

Forms due Friday!

Don't forget that this Friday, May 20, is the deadline for forms and payments (unless you are on a payment plan.)  Please make sure your forms are postmarked by Friday--no need to drive them down to the office.

If your pink form will be late because of your doctor's schedule, send the rest of your forms by May 20. Then call or e-mail to let us know when to expect the pink form.

If you need copies of any of the forms, they are available for download:
2011 Preparation Checklist (blue)
Camper Health History (green)
Licensed Medical Provider (pink)
Waiver of Liability (gray)
Release for Administration of Medicine (purple)
Search, Photo, Media Release (orange)
Application for Financial Aid (salmon)

2011 Counselors

We are so pleased and proud to introduce our 2011 Counselors! These 24 AXP alumni made it through a highly competitive selection process and will join us for summer fun. A whopping 14 of the smiling faces you see below are returning veteran counselors. Be sure to attend the summer orientations on June 6 or June 11 to meet them!

Forms, forms, forms!

Don't forget that all your forms and payments are due on May 20.  If you are missing any of your forms, they are available for download:

2011 Preparation Checklist
Camper Health History
Licensed Medical Provider
Waiver of Liability
Release for Administration of Medicine
Search, Photo, Media Release
Application for Financial Aid

We look forward to seeing you at the June orientation meetings!

Meet the Staff

Stephanie and Yolanda at the 10-year reunion in 2010

Introducing Lead Coordinator Yolanda Galvez! Yolanda will only be new to you if you are brand new to AXP. You may have met her when she was a student in 2002, Session 3 or you may have been in her group when she was a counselor in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010. As you will imagine, we liked her so much we had to give her a job.

Mo with Carl St.Clair at Heisler Park on Pageant Day, 2010

Yolanda grew up in Santa Ana, graduating from St. Margaret's. Her favorite art form is vocal music, followed closely by theater, visual art, instrumental music and dance--she is a true AXP risk-taker! After attending arts-X-press as an almost-7th grader, she found a new love for theater and took her very first audition soon after.

Yolanda has had many magic moments, but her favorite one is of a student who, on the very first day, told her "I know now why you guys do this." We are so glad that we have been able to keep Yolanda for another year. She will be joined by her fellow alumni Coordinators Stephanie Garcia and Mo Jaffrey on campus this summer.

2010, Session 3 students may remember Yolanda's best friend, Eeyore

Only 3 Registration Meetings Left!

It was great to meet so many of you last week in Irvine, Lake Forest, and Newport-Mesa.  Don't forget that all incoming arts-X-pressers need to have at least one parent or guardian attend one of the remaining registration meetings to get their paperwork and information  fees and financial aid. Students are encouraged to attend with their parents.  Please attend the meeting that is most convenient for you.  No RSVP is necessary!

Monday, April 4, 7:00-8:30 pm
Garden Grove Unified School District Office, Annex Conference Room
10331 Stanford Avenue
Garden Grove, CA 92840
Spanish and Vietnamese translators available

Tuesday, April 5, 7:00-8:30 pm
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District Office, Board Room
1301 Orangethorpe Avenue
Placentia, CA 92870

Wednesday, April 13, 7:00-8:30 pm
Santa Ana Unified School District Office, Training Room
1601 E. Chestnut Ave.
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Spanish translator available

View AXP orientations on a map

2011 Forms

Lost or misplaced a registration form? You can download them here:

2011 Preparation Checklist
Camper Health History
Licensed Medical Provider
Waiver of Liability
Release for Administration of Medicine
Search, Photo, Media Release

AXP Question of the Day

Question: Do I need to RSVP for a registration meeting?

Answer: No RSVP is necessary.  Please just come to whichever meeting is most convenient for you.  Students are encouraged to attend with their parents.

AXP Question of the Day

Question: When will I found out which session of arts-X-press I have been assigned to?

Answer: Session assignments and all your registration paperwork will be distributed at the registration meetings in March and April, so be sure to attend.  If your availability has changed since you submitted your application, please let us know by phone or by e-mail as soon as possible.

2011 Session dates are:
Session 1 - July 16-20
Session 2 - July 23-27
Session 3 - July 31-August 3

Bonus FAQ: Can I switch sessions after the assignments have been made?
Maybe. If we have an opening in the session you prefer, we will make every effort to accommodate your request. If we cannot move you immediately, we will put you on a waiting list and notify you when/if we are able to change your session.

Welcome to the Class of 2011

A big AXP welcome to the class of 2011!  Welcome letters have been mailed, so look for them soon.

All incoming arts-X-pressers will need to have at least one parent or guardian attend a registration meeting to get their paperwork and information  fees and financial aid. Students are encouraged to attend with their parents.  Please attend the meeting that is most convenient for you.  No RSVP is necessary!

Monday, March 28, 7:00-8:30pm
Irvine Unified School District Office, Board Room
5050 Barranca
Irvine, CA 92604

Wednesday, March 30, 7:00-8:30 pm
Aliso Elementary School, Multi-purpose room
22882 Loumont Drive
Lake Forest, CA 92630-3935

Thursday, March 31, 7:00-8:30pm
Newport-Mesa Unified School District Office, Board Room
2985 A Bear Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Spanish translator available

Monday, April 4, 7:00-8:30 pm
Garden Grove Unified School District Office, Annex Conference Room
10331 Stanford Avenue
Garden Grove, CA 92840
Spanish and Vietnamese translators available

Tuesday, April 5, 7:00-8:30 pm
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District Office, Board Room
1301 Orangethorpe Avenue
Placentia, CA 92870

Wednesday, April 13, 7:00-8:30 pm
Santa Ana Unified School District Office, Training Room
1601 E. Chestnut Ave.
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Spanish translator available

View AXP orientations in a larger map

Now accepting 2011 Counselor Applications

Do you want to be an arts-X-press counselor?  Will you be between the ages of 16 and 20 as of July 1, 2011?  We are now accepting applications for this summer!  Download an application and recommendation form or e-mail us at arts-x-press@pacificsymphony.org with "Counselor Application Request" in the subject line.  The deadline is April 1st, and applications will only be accepted via e-mail.

Interviews will begin in May.  Each selected counselor will receive 100 hours of community service credit. We hope to hear from you!

Session 1, 2010

Session 2, 2010

Session 3, 2010

Alumni/ parent volunteer opportunities

Want to give back to arts-X-press?  We are in need of some alumni (and their parents) to help us welcome the class of 2011.  We need several volunteers to help us assemble welcome letter packets for a new class of AXPers on March 2, 3-5:30 p.m. @ the Pacific Symphony office.  RSVP here for details.

Thanks for the help!