Foshay choir students in documentary film
A documentary film about the 2003 graduating class of choir members from the Foshay Learning Center gets its premiere Saturday.
Photo: Tom Sturges conducts the Foshay Choir at the 2000 Democratic National Convention.
“Witness to a Dream” will be part of the Dances With Films Independent Film Festival in at the Laemmle Sunset 5 theater in West Hollywood.
The 72-minute film tells the story of a group of at-risk students who were mentored over six years by music executive Tom Sturges after he took part in a career day program at the school. Along with Assistant Principal Regina Boutte, Sturges reached out to students who were faced with challenges that threatened their academic success. Yet succeed they did.
Members of the choir had a 100% graduation rate, a 97% acceptance rate to four-year colleges and a 92% college graduation rate.
Over six years, the choir performed for more than 50,000 people, including former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, former California Gov. Pete Wilson, former California First Lady Sharon Davis, and others. The choir also performed at the 2000 Democratic National Convention. In addition, the students wrote, sang and recorded 10 songs.
Reginald D. Brown videotaped and directed the documentary. Regina Boutte and Tom Sturges are executive producers.
-- Mary MacVean
