East High students organize benefit concert to save band program

East Anchorage High School students are throwing an all-ages benefit concert Saturday to save their band program, which the school plans to eliminate next year.

The show runs from 2 to 5 p.m. at Club Nyt Lyt, 221 E. 5th Ave. It features the school's jazz ensemble, the band Vital, and other guests. Tickets will be available at the door on a suggested donation scale starting at $15. All proceeds go to East High's band activity account. The group is also accepting direct donations.

Alaska Public Media reported in April that Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School's band director position will be eliminated next school year as part of 13 staff cuts. That effectively ends the band program that serves about 100 students spread across five band classes. The cuts stem from Anchorage School District budget constraints that required East administrators to reduce staffing.

Those classes will lose their certified teacher if the band director position is cut.

It remains unclear whether community fundraising and donations to the East band activity account can reverse the administrative decision. The band director cut is tied to broader Anchorage School District staffing reductions.

Following Gov. Mike Dunleavy's veto of a permanent increase to Alaska's base student allocation in 2024, school leaders around the state warned they would have to cut teachers and programs if funding remained flat. Arts and music programs were among those at risk.

The Anchorage Daily News previously covered the Anchorage School Board's adoption of a budget in 2024 that district officials said would require position and program reductions at secondary schools if the state did not significantly increase education funding.

Anchorage School District budget constraints for the coming school year led central administration to assign position cuts to schools like East High. Schools then had to decide locally which programs and roles to eliminate. Administrators at East were required by the district to cut 13 staff positions for next year. They chose to eliminate the band director role among other cuts.

Attendees can also contribute directly to the East band activity account.