The spirit of giving is alive and well at Weaverville’s Trinity High School, where the recipient of a $250 Music and Arts Grant from California Casualty has given it to a fellow instructor.

When Susan Zweck learned that she was being awarded the grant from California Casualty, she invited music instructor Jonathan Imhoff to the presentation. Zweck gave the funds to Imhoff because it would better benefit students with disabilities at the high school. “My students don’t get a chance to attend electives (wood shop, graphic design, photography), and music and art are the few classes which most of my students can attend with their peers.”

Zweck also felt empathy for Imhoff, who has been severely impacted by a dangerous mold problem at Trinity High. His classes have been moved to portable units located at the elementary school, requiring high school students to be bused to the elementary school for music classes. “It’s been a terrible burden for Jonathan,” says Zweck.

The grant will enable Imhoff  to bring in local talent to encourage and mentor students. “This gives the students a broader context of how this would apply to them: ‘Do I have to be a professional musician, or what does that look like for me?’” he says.

Both Zweck and Imhoff are members of the Trinity Alps Unified Teachers Association.

Trinity High is one of 40 California schools sharing $10,000 to support arts in education. They are among 139 public schools in 31 states receiving a total of $34,750 to provide materials, supplies and instruments for art, music and performance programs at the schools.

The grant is designed to foster creativity in schools, such as choir, band, dance, film, theater, computer arts and graphics, or any K-12 curriculum that employs art for learning. 

California Casualty has partnered with CTA since 1951 and understands the importance of music and arts education for children.

Unfortunately, many schools have reduced or eliminated music and arts education because of budget cuts. California Casualty hopes to fill the need with the Music and Arts Grant.

“Students love to showcase their creativity, and helping educators keep music and arts in the forefront of every-day learning is absolutely the right thing for us to do,” says California Casualty AVP Brian Goodman.

Public K-12 schools in the Golden State needing funding for an arts or performance program can apply for the 2020 Music and Arts Grant from California Casualty, at calcasmusicartsgrant.com. 

Founded in 1914, California Casualty has partnered with CTA to provide members auto and home insurance tailored to their professional needs since 1951. Headquartered in San Mateo, with Service Centers in Arizona, Colorado and Kansas, California Casualty has been led by four generations of the Brown family. To learn more, or to request an auto insurance quote, please visit calcas.com/cta, or call 800-800-9410.