A Special Invitation to Parents and Students!

You are invited to attend a special event at G-Star that takes place on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 11 AM in the G-Star Studios Sound Stage 1 at the school located at 2030 S. Congress Ave., Palm Springs, FL 33406.  This will be the naming of our first building dedicated to Carl Arfa, our WWII hero and G-Star supporter.  Please read the Press Release below for the details.  There will be a color guard, dedication ceremony, and we will be showing a documentary produced by our students dedicated to our WWII heroes.  We would be most honored if you would attend the dedication of our first building.  Please bring guests if you wish.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Greg Hauptner
Founder/CEO
P.S. Mr. Arfa will be talking to all 1100 of our students on Wednesday and Thursday, February 26 & 27 in the Sound Stage beginning at 9:20 AM each day.  You are most welcome to attend.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

G-STAR SCHOOL OF THE ARTS DEDICATES 1ST BUILDING IN $8 MILLION EDUCATIONAL PROJECT TO LOCAL WWII VETERAN

Palm Springs, FL (February 23, 2014) - Graduation Day, June 1942... 18 year old Carl Arfa proudly throws his graduation cap into the air.  It's a day he'll never forget.  It not only signified his graduation from high school, but it was the day he left to go fight in World War II.  A young kid, drafted.  Being sent into battle to fight for our country and for our generations now so we can enjoy the freedom we take for granted.

On Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 11 AM, G-Star School of the Arts (www.gstarschool.org) will be officially dedicating our existing Production Bungalow building (next to the Sound Stage) as the headquarters of our educational project, "Into the Past: The World War II Experience" (www.atagency.net), to local World War II veteran Carl Arfa.  The building will be named the "CARL ARFA (69TH INF DIV) WORLD WAR II EXPERIENCE COMMAND HEADQUARTERS".  Carl will be joined by his family, friends, members of the community and a very special 9th grade student at G-Star, Madison Lillard, who will be presenting him with an exhibit depicting his contribution to the war, our country and our freedom.  This exhibit is part of our new program "Student's Adopting Veteran's".  In this program, our student's will "adopt" a World War II veteran, family of a fallen soldier, or a survivor or family of the Holocaust and put together an exhibit honoring them using personal stories, pictures, letters and memorabilia.  These exhibits will all be displayed in our newly constructed Victory Canteen (named and styled after the WWII V for Victory Soldier Canteen in Palm Beach) which will be our first building of the school's $8 million educational project. 

Carl Arfa is a World War II veteran of the Battle of the Bulge (where 19,000 American soldiers died) and the liberation of Germany.  He has spoken on the subject of World War II relating his personal and heart rending experiences (such as liberating a concentration camp) as a combat infantryman with films and photographs to over 15,000 students in the Palm Beach County School System to standing ovations.  Mr. Arfa has volunteered and worked tirelessly in support of our G-Star "Into the Past: The World War II Experience" educational project and because of his complete and true dedication to our country during the war and his sincere dedication to the students in our community we would like to honor him by dedicating our headquarters building to him. 

The commemoration ceremony will open at 11 AM with a local color guard, and will include speeches, renderings of the Victory Canteen, viewing of our student produced Veteran's Documentary, presentation of Carl's exhibit and the official dedication of the "Carl Arfa (69th Inf. Div.) WWII Experience Command Headquarters" building.  G-Star has begun fundraising for this $8 million permanent educational project.  The first phase is to fund and build the G-Star Victory Canteen, a $500,000 cafeteria building which will be a multi-purpose educational center complete with a theatre stage and a venue for meetings and seminars. 

Students in the Arts-TV, G-Star TV, Inc. is a non-profit organization EIN# 65-0887998 d/b/a/ G-Star School of the Arts.

For more information contact:                                                                      

Dawn Hauptner,
G-Star School Foundation
G-Star School of the Arts
G-Star Studios
dawnHauptner@gmail.com
561-818-6534

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Monday, February 24, 2014.  Over 36,000 views of our G-Star News Blog!

ACTING DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCEMENT!

On Sunday February 23, 2014 G-Star Thespian Michael Burgos attended the English Speaking Union's Annual Shakespeare Recitation Competition at The Beach Club in Palm Beach. The English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition assists high school teachers across the country with their Shakespeare and language arts curriculum.  Through the competition, students are encouraged to develop their communication skills and an appreciation of the power of language and literature.  Michael won 1st runner up at competition. He won $200 and a chance to competition at nationals in New York City. Let's give Michael a round of applause!!

Mr. Brian K. Edgecomb, Acting Dept

bedgecomb@gstarschool.org
G-Star School of the Arts
2065 Prairie Rd Bldg. J
West Palm Beach, Fl. 33406
www.gstarschool.org

 Palm Beach County High School Students Finalists for the $2500 Burt Reynolds Scholarship

Four Finalists Interviewed by Burt Reynolds in his Home

Palm Beach County, FL (February 18, 2014) - Valentine’s Day was extra sweet for four South Florida high school students who qualified for the interview round for the $2,500 Burt Reynolds’s scholarship as part of the Palm Beach International Film Festival’s Student Showcase of Films. These amateur filmmakers, three students Raymond Knudsen, Ben Beeler and Jordan Hall (the only female finalist) from G Star School of the Arts and a fourth Chandler Kravitz from Spanish River Community High School, were picked up in limos at their schools and transported to Mr. Reynolds’s home for their interview on February 14. To qualify, each student submitted a self-authored letter about why they deserve and make for an ideal candidate, a letter of recommendation from their film and television instructor, a five-minute compilation reel, a one-sheet explaining their reel and a post-high school acceptance letter if applicable.

The legendary actor will personally present the scholarship recipient his/her award at the 19^th Annual Student Showcase of Films ceremony on Friday, March 14 at 10:30am at Lynn University’s Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center in Boca Raton.

Michelle Hillery, Palm Beach County’s Deputy Film Commissioner stated, “Mr. Reynolds is so welcoming and supportive of all the students with a passion for the production industry, and we are honored that he takes the time to personally connect with these young filmmakers in his own home no less.”

 About the Student Showcase of Films

Each year, top industry professionals judge the submitted films and competition finalists are honored at a sizzling live awards show for more than 700 attendees from around the state. Winning student films will also be screened in their entirety on the “big screen” at the students’ own premiere during PBIFF, April 3-10, 2014.

 This program is funded by the PBIFF, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, the Palm Beach County’s Office of Economic Sustainability and the Palm Beach County Film & Television Commission.