Las Vegas Academy of the Arts

Magnet high school in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Las Vegas Academy of the Arts

Originally built as Las Vegas High School

Address

315 South 7th Street

Las Vegas

Nevada

89101

United States

Information
School type| Magnet High School
Motto| From Excellence to Eminence [2]
Established| 1992
School district| Clark County School District
Principal| Colin Wyrsch
Staff| 80.50 (FTE)[1]
Grades| 9-12
Enrollment| 1,737 (2022-23)[1]
Student to teacher ratio| 21.58[1]
Color(s)| Teal and silver

Nickname| LVA
Rivals| Del Sol Academy
Publication| Accolades
Website| http://www.lasvegasacademy.net/

The Las Vegas Academy of the Arts is a magnet high school located in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. Students are accepted through an audition process and claim a major pertaining to performing arts or visual arts.

## History

[edit]

### Las Vegas High School

[edit]

The Las Vegas Academy's campus is located on the site of the first high school in Las Vegas. The school uses two of the buildings that were constructed in 1930 and opened in the fall of 1931. Las Vegas High School was the first high school in Las Vegas, and its location caused controversy at the time. Many residents believed the school was too far away from the small population at the time, which has changed as the city grew around the school. The school originally had three buildings: the tri-level Main building on the corner of 7th St. and Bridger Ave., the Gymnasium, and a third building that housed manual arts (shop classes) and in later years government classes. It was torn down in 1969. The two remaining buildings are listed as the Las Vegas High School Academic Building and Gymnasium on the National Register of Historic Places, representing Las Vegas' best example of art-deco architecture of the 1930s. The school's outer appearance has been maintained but the interior has been changed since its original construction.

### Las Vegas Academy

[edit]

In 1992, plans for a magnet school for the arts were announced by Assistant Superintendent, and on August 23, 1993, Las Vegas High School was re-opened as the Las Vegas Academy for International Studies and Performing Arts by founding principal. Visual Arts was added the following year. Starting with only 735 students, the student body has since grown to an excess of 1700 students attending the school pursuing majors in the performing and visual arts. The CCSD Board of Trustees officially changed the school's name to Las Vegas Academy of the Arts in November 2014. Las Vegas Academy has been honored by the U.S. Department of Education as both a New American High School[3] and a Blue Ribbon School.[4] The Arts Schools Network (ASN) awarded LVA the Outstanding Arts School 2013-2014 and Exemplary Arts School status for 2014–2016.

### LVA Programs

[edit]

The school divides its student base into four conservatories: art, dance, music, theatre, and visual arts.[5]

## Theatrical venues

[edit]

The Las Vegas Academy Lowden Theatre for the Performing Arts after the 2007-2008 renovation

* Academy Theatre Black Box
* LVA Performing Arts Center
* Las Vegas Academy Lowden Theater for the Performing Arts[6]

## Notable alumni

[edit]

* 702, R&B group[7]
* Molly Bernard, actress[8]
* Leah Dizon, singer and model active in Japan [9]
* Matthew Gray Gubler, actor[10]
* Julianne Hough, singer/dancer[11]
* Dasha Nekrasova, actress[12]
* Ne-Yo, R&B artist[13]
* Sizzy Rocket, singer[14]
* Baron Vaughn, actor/comedian[15][16]
* Rutina Wesley, actress[17]
* Robert Jarrett, actor [citation needed]
* Tommy Ward, singer[18]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Las Vegas Academy of Arts". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
2. ^ "Las Vegas Academy Of the Arts". Lasvegasacademy.net. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
3. ^ "New American High Schools". U.S. Department of Education. Archived from the original on June 13, 2001. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
4. ^ "Archived: Blue Ribbon Schools Program, Schools Recognized 1999-2002" (PDF). U.S. Department of Education. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 30, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
5. ^ "Las Vegas Academy of the Arts School Profile 2020-2021" (PDF). Las Vegas Academy. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
6. ^ "Academy Theatre History". Lvacademytheatre.org. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
7. ^ "702 Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic.
8. ^ "Las Vegas Theatre Roundup". Backstage.com. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
9. ^ "They're Gonna Live Forever". Las Vegas Review Journal. March 9, 2008.
10. ^ "Profiling 'Criminal Minds' Actor Matthew Gray Gubler". Lasvegasnow.com. January 1, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
11. ^ Padgett, Sonya (April 16, 2007). "Dancing her way to fame". Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
12. ^ Piepenburg, Erik (December 19, 2021). "How Dasha Nekrasova Is Calling the Shots". The New York Times.
13. ^ Cling, Carol (January 12, 2007). "Ne-Yo's talent spans from Vegas to the 'Yard': Grammy-nominated singer makes his big-screen acting debut today". Las Vegas Review Journal. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
14. ^ "Here's the backstory on 'Girls' cover by Internet sensation Sizzy Rocket". Las Vegas Review-Journal. May 10, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
15. ^ Rilling, Deanna (December 9, 2009). "Challenging expectations through dance (and frozen peas)". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
16. ^ "Baron Vaughnm". Baronvaughn.com. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
17. ^ Rilling, Deanna (October 31, 2009). ""True Blood's" Rutina Wesley comes home". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
18. ^ Moore, Jessica (September 22, 2014). "Vegas teenage singer is a rising star with classic roots". KSNV Las Vegas. Retrieved September 1, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* SAH Archipedia Building Entry

* v
* t
* e

High schools in and around Las Vegas

Schools in Las Vegas city limits

Zoned high schools|

* Bonanza
* Cimarron-Memorial
* Desert Pines
* Palo Verde
* Shadow Ridge
* Western

Magnet/alternative/independent schools|

* Adelson Educational Campus
* Advanced Technologies Academy
* Las Vegas Academy of the Arts
* The Meadows School
* Northwest Career and Technical Academy

Schools in unincorporated Clark County

Zoned high schools|

* Arbor View
* Centennial
* Del Sol
* Desert Oasis
* Eldorado
* Las Vegas
* Silverado
* Spring Valley
* Valley

Magnet/alternative/independent schools|

* East Career and Technical Academy
* Faith Lutheran
* Rancho
* Southeast Career Technical Academy
* West Career and Technical Academy

This list is incomplete.
Schools listed in the bottom section are physically located in unincorporated Clark County despite having "Las Vegas, Nevada" postal addresses.

36°9′50″N 115°8′21″W﻿ / ﻿36.16389°N 115.13917°W﻿ / 36.16389; -115.13917
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