E.M. Burger Foundation donates $20,000 to CHS art program, CPAC

E.M. Burger Foundation President Amy Mouse joined California High School Art Club president Treston Lewis, Art Club Vice-President Grace Porter and CHS art teacher Brad Friedrich — who also serves as art club sponsor and manager of the California Performing Arts Center — as the foundation presented a donation of $19,000 to the school's art department.
E.M. Burger Foundation President Amy Mouse joined California High School Art Club president Treston Lewis, Art Club Vice-President Grace Porter and CHS art teacher Brad Friedrich — who also serves as art club sponsor and manager of the California Performing Arts Center — as the foundation presented a donation of $19,000 to the school's art department.

Working together with California High School art teacher Brad Friedrich, who also serves as Art Club sponsor and California Performing Arts Center manager, the E.M. Burger Foundation made a $19,000 contribution to the school's art department -- along with a $1,000 contribution to the CPAC -- last week.

Burger Foundation president Amy Mouse arrived at CHS on Dec. 16 to meet with Friedrich, Art Club Vice-President Grace Porter and Art Club President Treston Lewis and present the check.

Friedrich said the $19,000 contribution will help to build the school's art department computer lab. Friedrich reported that the money was spent on 12 new iMacs for students to use for graphic design assignments, replacing the department's older models. He said the graphic design class has been a part of the school's art program since 2006 and that all students have access to the Macs in the lab.

To thank the foundation and to show just how beneficial their contribution was to the student body, Friedrich sent them a slide presentation of the artwork students had developed in their graphic design classes and three letters from former CHS students who now work professionally in the field of graphic design.

Friedrich and Mouse continued their visit in the school's Performing Arts Center, where a $1,000 contribution was given for the purchase of Assisted Hearing Devices for guests.

Friedrich said he is glad to see the Burger Foundation continue its support of the school, its students and the arts.

"We appreciate their support," Friedrich said. "They've supported the Performing Arts Center and the school district as a whole for many, many years. We're happy with that, and it's nice to see that we have community support like that to help our kids."

  photo  Democrat photo/Kaden Quinn The E.M. Burger Foundation also contributed $1,000 toward the California Performing Arts Center.