Illuminating music

Dave Brooks

It’s not every day that an elementary school principal awards a

teacher with a free cruise.

Sure the boat would never leave the confines of Huntington Harbour

and the entire trip would only last about 45 minutes, but at least

Smith Elementary School teacher Jen Kerner didn’t have to worry about

getting seasick.

Kerner and several dozen sea mates took part in the 2004 Cruise of

Lights on Monday. The annual event, presented by the Huntington

Harbour Philharmonic Committee, is a fundraiser for music programs in

Huntington Beach schools and provides money for grants and enrichment

programs.

“Music can be a really strong teaching tool,” said Kerner. “If

students aren’t getting a concept, I can use music as a way to reach

them.”

Kerner was joined by nine other representatives from Huntington

Beach schools on the twilight jaunt past some of Huntington Beach’s

most palatial estates. To characterize these homes as mansions would

be an understatement -- their sheer size and various designs are

nearly as entertaining as the often humongous holiday displays used

to entertain the nightly boat tours of passersby.

Some chose homey nativity scenes and images of Santa Claus and his

reindeer, while others blanket their homes in professional light

displays. A few even implement computer-controlled lighting devices

that dazzle with an ever-changing array of colors and seasonal

images.

“These lights are some of the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen,”

Kerner said from the deck of her ferry, where she enjoyed the cruise

as a tour guide explained the significance of many of the displays.

“It’s refreshing that local organizations could put something

together this imaginative to benefit programs at my school,” Kerner

said.

Music education has suffered through a wave of budget cuts in

recent years, said JoAnne Fuerbringer, director of education for the

Philharmonic Society of Orange County, the main recipient of the

Cruise of Lights proceeds.

“In years past, we had a focus on enrichment for students already

participating in music programs, but now we’re struggling to keep

basic components in tact,” she said.

Fuerbringer estimates that about 10% of the money generated by

this year’s Cruise of Lights will go directly to schools through

grants.

Music teacher Dennis Nicolosi said Marine View Middle School will

use the money to purchase musical scores and equipment to help put on

this year’s run of “Annie,” while Sue Schwartz, principal of the

Hebrew Academy of Huntington Beach, said her school plans to use the

grant to continue to invest in an educational program that teaches

mathematics through patterns found in the music of Mozart and other

classical composers.

“The grants are a really big plus for our school to develop the

musical programs to a level that they should be at,” said Huntington

Beach High School instructor Gregg Gilboe. “It gives us something to

be proud of, something that every student deserves.”

* DAVE BROOKS covers City Hall. He can be reached at (714)

966-4609 or by e-mail at [email protected].