Duke Ellington School of the Arts, is a high-school in Washington, DC, offering a dual arts & academic curriculum, to educate young artists!
Named for one of America’s greatest composers, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts developed and grew from the collaborative efforts of Peggy Cooper Cafritz and Mike Malone, founders of Workshops for Careers in the Arts in 1968. The initial move into the Georgetown location was in 1971, when it was still named Western High School.
In May 1974, in consortium with representatives of DC Public Schools and community groups, Workshops for Careers in the Arts proposed the establishment of a public high school for youth gifted in the fine and performing arts. It was then that the Board of Education approved the establishment of the School of the Arts at Western High School. In July 1976, the School of the Arts was officially renamed the “Duke Ellington School of the Arts,” in living tribute to Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, the great jazz musician, composer, and native of Washington, DC.
In September 2000, the Ellington partnership evolved into the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Project (DESAP) to include the District of Columbia Public Schools, The Ellington Fund, the John F. Kennedy for the Performing Arts and The George Washington University. The goal of DESAP continues Ellington’s tradition of providing high school students with an educational experience that includes college preparatory academics, pre-professional artistic training, and access to the cultural and intellectual resources of the District of Columbia.
To nurture and inspire passion for arts and learning in talented students who might not otherwise have an opportunity to develop their artistic skills. We ensure that our students are prepared for post-secondary education and/or careers in the arts by offering an intensive arts-based program. We prepare our students to become productive citizens in our global society through our strong focus on community service.
Duke Ellington provides a dual-curriculum arts and academic instruction, preparing students for higher education in accredited colleges and conservatories throughout the nation. We offer arts majors in Vocal Music, Instrumental Music, Theater, Technical Design & Production, Visual Arts, Museum Studies, Dance, and Literary Media & Communications!
