Acclaimed actors Paul Adelstein, Amy Brenneman, and Kate Walsh, together with musical guests Brooke White, Chris Stills and Gloria Loring, will be using their celebrity to shine the spotlight later this month on the CHIME Institute, housed at California State University, Northridge.
The actors are joining dozens of other performers in the annual CHIMEapalooza to raise funds for the institute — which has been hailed as a national leader in the development and implementation of inclusive education, where children who develop typically, children with special needs and children who are gifted learn side by side.
CHIMEapalooza is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, in CSUN’s Campus Theatre, located on the southwest side of the campus near the corner of Nordhoff Street and Darby Avenue. The show will be preceded by a reception at 6 p.m.
Amy Brenneman hosting last year’s CHIMEapalooza. Photo by Stacey Kelly Photography.
“We are thrilled that CHIMEapalooza has grown to an annual event that showcases the creativity, energy and enthusiasm we all share for the CHIME Institute,” said Brenneman, one of the evening’s organizers. “CHIME is a national leader in teaching school inclusion, and everyone who attends leaves this event inspired and awe-struck by its mission and accomplishments.”
The evening will feature live musical performances and original theater. Tickets for the event are $100 per person. To purchase tickets, visit www.CHIMEapalooza.org.
Established in 1990, the CHIME Institute is a national leader in developing and implementing model educational programs and dynamic research and training environments to disseminate best practices in inclusive education. The institute’s research and training center is housed in CSUN’s Michael D. Eisner College of Education.
The institute began with an early childhood education program based on the CSUN campus. The success of that program, coupled with needs of the community and sound research, prompted a group of parents and CSUN faculty to develop a public charter elementary school in 2001 and a public charter middle school in 2003. The two schools merged into a K-8 school located in Woodland Hills in 2010.
Paul Adelstein at last year’s CHIMEapalooza. Photo by Stacey Kelly Photography.
Inclusive education at CHIME means that children who reflect the demographics of the surrounding regions learn side by side. CHIME’s model allows for the individual needs of each child to be addressed in a manner that enhances each child’s strength, while also providing educational progress.
CHIME also serves as a model for educators through its partnerships with the Eisner College and the Los Angeles Unified School District. It facilitates research opportunities and regularly hosts visitors from around the United States and the world who are interested in replicating its successes in their own schools. The institute has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a model for full inclusion of students with disabilities and for providing a blueprint for local schools across the country.
Proceeds from the CHIMEapalooza will go toward supporting inclusive practices in the institute’s educational programs and school. For more information about the CHIME Institute, call (818) 677-4979 or (818) 346-5200 or visit its website www.chimeinstitute.org.