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Otis report outlines importance of creative industry to economy By Meg Linton Otis College of Art and Design is releasing the 2013 Creative Economy Report on Thursday, February 6 at the Broad Stage Theater in Santa Monica and is making it available online for free at www.otis.edu/econreport. Otis’ President Samuel Hoi launched this annual report in 2007 when he realized there was a narrow understanding of this segment of the economy given its tremendous impact in the Southern California region. From the first report, Hoi explains, “[It] offers a new, more accurate, and useful economic analysis of creative industries to help policymakers and business
leaders understand the significance of this segment of our economy. The data herein prove once and for all that creativity is the number one industry in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, which combine to comprise the 17th largest economy in the world. The Los Angeles region has more creative establishments and workers than the New York Primary Metropolitan area. It is time to herald the fact that artists and designers and other creative minds drive the largest segment of jobs and sales revenues in our region.” (continued on page 6) At right: Otis is launching its Creative Economy Report to include all of California this year for the first time.
Pilot yoga program launches at Kentwood On a recent Tuesday morning second and third grade students at Kentwood Elementary School used their imaginations to be transported to Hawaii to swim, surf and look for sea creatures in the school’s auditorium thanks to a pilot yoga program that began in late January. The pilot yoga program is run through a partnership with the Westchester Family YMCA, Kentwood Elementary School and the Drollinger Family Charitable Foundation (DFCF), which is providing the funding. Karen Dial, the chair of the DFCF, and an active yogi, approached the YMCA about bringing yoga to local schools after reading research suggesting the benefits of yoga for children. The research suggests that yoga can be beneficial to enhance physical flexibility; refining balance and coordination; boosting self-esteem and strengthening the mind-body connection. The YMCA, which already provides supplement physical education classes
at Kentwood and other elementary schools, jumped on the chance to partner with the school and the nonprofit to bring a non-traditional, but increasingly popular physical education class to the campus. After a grant proposal submitted to the DFCF was approved, the YMCA agreed to structure the classes and have their instructors teach the 30-minute yoga classes once a week in the auditorium. Instructors Marvin Boyce and Sharon Holly lead the classes. They each have more than five years of experience and have special training teaching yoga to children. “It has been my goal for a couple of years to start a pilot yoga program in a local elementary school. I am grateful to the YMCA and Kentwood Elementary for using funds provided by DFCF and implementing the first DFCF Yoga classes at Kentwood Elementary,” said Dial. “I also appreciate the partnership (continued on page 4)
At left: Instructors Melvin Boyce and Sharon Holly demonstrate a yoga pose with second grade students.
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