HispanicBusiness

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AARP, which is marking its 50th anniversary, announced that the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education will honor former principal and AARP founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus in a ceremony officially renaming the Lincoln High School Auditorium as the Ethel Percy Andrus Theater. The renaming ceremony will take place today at 4 pm at Lincoln High School in East Los Angeles followed by student performances in the newly restored auditorium.

"AARP continues the commitment of our founder to improving America's schools," said Tom Porter, state director for AARP CA. "Recognizing her former school and renaming the auditorium is a great demonstration of her impact in East Los Angeles and on the world."

AARP executives and board leaders will be joined by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, California Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero, Los Angeles Councilmember Ed P. Reyes and LAUSD Board Member Monica Garcia. Other special guests include Lupe Ontiveros, film and television actress, Val Zavala, event emcee and KCET-TV anchor and students from class of 1939 and later.

As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, AARP awarded more than $1 million in Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Awards to recognize excellence and innovation in education at high schools nationwide. The first of these awards has made it possible for the performing arts program at Lincoln to flourish again. Lincoln High received a $100,000 Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Award from AARP, which helped the school to establish the new performing arts program and refurbish its auditorium. The auditorium features improved lighting, a new sound system and carpeting where students will receive pre-professional training in music, dance, theater and the performing arts.

Other generous collaborators include the Board of Education who donated $110,000 and UnitedHealth Group with a gift of $50,000. In addition, Borders provided a donation to supply the school with current books, movies and music.

"As a student at Lincoln High in the 60s, I vividly recall learning about Ethel Percy Andrus. We all knew of her because of our Andrus Hall, our school pledge and our outstanding fine arts program," said Principal James Molina. "That was twenty years after her retirement. Now, 63 years later, we honor her legacy by bringing the fine arts back to Lincoln with the help of AARP."

Ethel Percy Andrus became California's first female high school principal in 1916 when she was appointed principal of East Los Angeles High School, whose name she soon changed to Lincoln High School, hoping to inspire its ethnically diverse student body. Following many years in education, Dr. Andrus turned her attention to the needs of people in the second half of their lives. In 1958, Dr. Andrus established AARP to promote independence, dignity and purpose for all mid-life and older Americans.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. AARP

Web site: http://www.aarp.org/