MCA established The Korzenny Art Fund to support small grant requests by individual arts K-12 educators in Ocala, Marion County. The spirit of this fund is to encourage arts educators who are developing artists and art education for the future.
These grants were inspired by Drs. Betty Ann and Felipe Korzenny. Their legacy of leadership and ardent support of the arts and arts educators is the foundation for these grants. The funds will be dispersed until exhausted, and the fund may be continued with additional funding at a later date. Drs. Korzenny will be recognized for their support of improvements to arts education.
The Korzenny Grants for Arts Educators are used to enhance an individual K – 12 arts educator’s ability to work and support their students’ artistic talents.
A review committee will be made up of MCA members. They will convene to consider applications and release funds to those deemed appropriate to the purpose of the grant.
Request may be submitted for up to $1,000 and may be submitted online at any time.
Forest High School Musical Theatre Ensemble Costume and Set Support
Jessica Mongerio, Forest High School
This grant supported FHS’s Musical Theatre Class with funds for costume and set design expenses. The students are the costume and set designers. They are not provided a budget. These funds allow them to plan and manage a budget and execute costume and set design.
Grant Award $1,000
Chimes for Grace Christian School Spring Concert – February 2022
Grace Christian School
The Korzenny Grant helped to fund a set of Musser Classic Chimes for the Music Program. The band will perform all required parts to be played on symphonic chimes including “October Sky” by Rob Romeyn during the May 5th Spring Concert. After the concert, the chimes will be used to enhance the music program’s offerings at the school. This grant truly impacted the students’ music education and their performance skills.
Grant Award $1,000
Introducing Students to Advanced Art Tools – August 2021
Nicholas Parks, Fort McCoy School
The grant provided thirteen of the twenty Dremel rotary tools needed for his 8th grade three dimensional art class. The students learned to make masks and props that require sanding and carving. The students learned 21st Century art skills that will lead to fun and opportunities. Working with carved masks and props can launch them into careers in live/theatrical arts and other related occupations.
Grant Award $1,000
Forest High School Musical Theatre Ensemble Costume and Set Support
Jessica Mongerio, Forest High School
This grant supported FHS’s Musical Theatre Class with funds for costume and set design expenses. The students are the costume and set designers. They are not provided a budget. These funds allow them to plan and manage a budget and execute costume and set design.
Grant Award $1,000
Horizon Academy Music Program
Jordan Ramsey-Heil
The Korzenny grant purchased new music and funds for repair costs for band instruments. These funds went a long way in bolstering a nascent program where students are learning and growing musically.
Grant Award $1,000
Keyboards for 20th Century Pianists – October 2020
Emily Goode, Music Teacher Dunnellon Middle School
The keyboards in our piano lab are older than the students! Many have speakers that work sporadically or not at all. The keyboards also do not allow for a sustain pedal or changes in dynamics. The students are learning so much, and I’d like to be able to further their piano skills with keyboards and pedals that work for them. I would like to purchase 2 Yamaha PSR-E363 keyboards and 6 sustain pedals.
Grant Award: $500
Learning to Love Reading Through Art-Making: South Ocala Elementary Students Illustrate Book Jackets – July 2020
Nicole Werhner, South Ocala Elementary
Students will write a story or “book” in their classrooms with the instruction and assistance of their teachers using State of Florida Standards. Our 2nd-5th grade classrooms use writing-focused curricula since the state tests writing in both the 4th and 5th grades. The supplies purchased with this grant will provide teachers with the necessary tools to allow students to illustrate their book covers in keeping with their own interpretive artistic visions. Read More
The Sands of Time – March 2020
Gary Peters, Lake Weir High School Art Educator
The project will be a mural painted on a main wall in building 3 of Lake Weir High School. The wall is the thoroughfare that leads from building 3 to building 4. The concept is creating a composition incorporating Renaissance Men and their ideas and inventions and subsequent entrepreneurs who succeeded in making life easier for society. The mural would cover a 35′ space that would be broken into 5 sections by overlapping two 22′ in diameter semi-circles (which begin at the far left and far right of the wall). Two triangularly shaped areas would appear in the upper right and left-hand corners of the wall (after the semi-circles are rendered) and an arced dome would dominate the space where the two semi-circles overlap. Read More
Jazz on the Go – February 2020
Brittany Schofield, Howard Middle School Music Teacher
This purchase would be used to further students learning of jazz music. Students will be able to share their music with the community and spread their love for jazz music. Through the history of jazz bands, a huge part of their performances is traveling to different venues and events to play “gigs”. This will give our students the opportunity and experience to learn just like a professional jazz band.
Grant Award: $500
Florida Band Directors Workshop – February 2020
Dylan Jones, Band Director, North Marion Middle School
The Florida Band Director Workshop is a 4 day summer workshop for band directors that meets from June 17-20, 2020. The Florida School Band Workshop is a comprehensive, retreat style experience for school band teachers. The workshop will feature interactive sessions about topics such as fundamentals, classroom management, musical principles, teaching strategies, and progress monitoring.
Grant Award: $354
We Can Accompany Ourselves and Sing in Harmony – January 2020
Nacko Wicklein, Music Teacher NH Jones Elementary
At The Florida Music Educators Association Conference in January, which was taught by the author of the book “Purposeful Pathways 4”, Roger Sams shared four songs from his publication. I was excited to see that he suggested chorus groups be accompanied by fellow students performing the instrumental parts rather than using recorded tracks.Read More
Flamingo Fever – September 2019
Michel Yeull, Arts Educator Dunnellon Elementary School
At Dunnellon Elementary School, we have discussed the value of public art and how artists like Keith Haring brought art to the people and the huge impact that can have on a community. Piggybacking on the idea of Horse Fever, students will use the flamingo to explore the things that make our river community in Florida special. Read More
Ukuleles-Increasing Higher Level Thinking Skills Through Music – August 2019
Laurie Rangel, Anthony Elementary Music Teacher
Students will learn to play the ukuleles over the course of 5-6 weeks as part of the lesson about island cultures. They will first read and research about the countries and islands with a small group. Next, they will listen to the music of these cultures, with special attention to ukulele music. Read More
Art Class Supplies for Low Income Children – May 2019
Melissa Castro, Community Facilitator Ocala Family Resource Center, a program of Kid’s Central
For young children from poor families in Marion County, education is commonly restricted to the basics. Arts subjects such as crafts, art and music are not part of the curriculum, and for underprivileged families extra-curricular activities are unaffordable. Yet, an education in the arts represents Read More
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