The Educational Theatre Foundation is launching a new campaign aimed at raising $250,000 to support school theatre programs nationwide this fall. The funds will support ETF's work building and supporting theatre departments, providing vital support for students, teachers, and programs through scholarships and grants.

"Growing up, theatre gave us the confidence to pursue our dreams and provided us with the creative foundation we still rely on today," say Dear Evan Hansen writers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, both supporters of ETF and their new fundraising push. "The arts have a profound impact on young people's lives, and we are proud to support the Educational Theatre Foundation's mission to ensure that every student, regardless of background, has access to a theatre education."

"These initiatives not only give students access to theatre but also provide opportunities to work with industry professionals of color while performing works that encourage important conversations around racial equity,” says ETA President Dr. Jennifer Katona of ETF programs like JumpStart Theatre, which creates sustainable theatre programs in under-resourced middle schools; and the Craig Zadan Pathway for Racial Equity in the Arts, which works to promote equity in communities facing racial disparities. “Theatre is a powerful tool for social change and personal growth, and these programs are making a tangible difference in the lives of students.”

Launched in 2017, ETF is the philanthropic arm of the Educational Theatre Association, a professional association for theatre educators and the parent organization of the International Thespian Society.

Donations can be made at Foundation.SchoolTheatre.org.