Carla Javier

The initiative brought 2.8 million visitors to local museums and $430.8 million to the local economy, according to a new report. It also attracted new audiences.

The youth hope the images of families, pets, and hobbies help people look "Behind the Diagnosis." They're also selling the prints to raise money for research grants.

The district budgeted $31.52 million for the arts this year, but arts education administrators say even that isn't enough. So, they're hosting a concert.

While many arts ed advocates want to take advantage of the state budget surplus, others are concerned about the bill’s language surrounding who would teach the arts.

"It's showing some forward progress," explained Pat Wayne, program director at Create CA. "Not of course what we'd hope it would be, but we're going in the right direction."

The world-renowned cellist visited the school as part a program to celebrate "undiscovered, unexpected, or everyday communities" with a strong commitment to the arts.

"We're learning about the walkouts ..." one student said. "That's why we're here in school, being treated fairly and we know about our cultures today."

The latest plan to turn the school around is now in its 10th year and, despite obvious improvements, skeptics say it still fails too many kids.

With the help of teaching artists, the eleventh graders wrote 10 minute musicals about everything from the Roaring Twenties to the Civil Rights Movement.

"You have two ... convicted convicts, and you have two guys acting," a participant said. "At the end, I want you to look at all four of us like we're the same."

Thomas Fire Help has been carrying critical workers, like those in medicine, to their jobs. "We didn't sit around and say 'We're going to start an airline,'" said one volunteer. But that's sort of what happened.

Clearing debris basins is a priority because, if there's another heavy winter storm, officials and experts think another mudslide could happen.