ENCINITAS — The Encinitas Educational Foundation and the Encinitas Union School District have partnered to create a new honor choir program for students throughout the school district.
The new program, called “EnSINGnitas,” intends to spur a passion for singing and the performing arts in students while simultaneously fostering their personal growth. The program allows each child to be celebrated for their unique talents through meaningful and collaborative experiences in the performing arts.
To help oversee the program, EFF has named Britta Ellis as the honor choir’s director.
Ellis is a mom to two Mission Estancia students and has over 25 years of experience in education and the performing arts. She studied musical theatre at University of California Los Angeles, earned a master’s in education focusing on social and emotional learning from the University of California Santa Barbara, and is professionally trained in vocal performance with New York City stage experience.
Ellis taught fifth and seventh grades for several years in the Poway Unified School District and was selected to help design and open Del Sur Elementary. She recently created and ran a choir program in the Bay Area. She also is the founder of Broadway West, a musical theatre and writing program that focuses on the love of the arts, creativity and highlighting each child’s strengths.
“I am honored to be joining EEF’s honor choir as the new choir director. It has been a dream to put together a choir program that focuses on the love of creativity, music and theatre in a safe, fun environment,” Ellis stated. “The arts are an essential part of education and have the extraordinary power to unite people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. My vision for this choir is to harness that power, creating an ensemble that not only achieves exceptional musicality but also fosters a profound sense of community and belonging among its members.”
Ellis will work alongside the district’s other choir leads at each of its nine school sites.
EEF was founded in 1985 as a qualified nonprofit designated corporation. The organization’s mission is to assist in the achievement of a superior public school education within EUSD. The foundation supports students’ learning, growth and education through daily enrichment programs in Encinitas Union schools, which now includes the honor choir as well as its concert band and strings program.
For more information about EEF and the honor choir program, please visit eefonline.org.
