ready willing - Darden Restaurants

eadyandwillingto inspireOrlando Ballet S.T.E.P.S.Darden Restaurants Foundationhas been a long-time supporterof the Orlando Ballet and has playeda key role in helping the organizationachieve its mission to entertain,educate and enrich the cultural growthof Florida through the highest qualityof dance.Through its award-winning school,the Orlando Ballet has establishedS.T.E.P.S. (Scholarship Training forthe Enrichment of Primary Students) –a unique program aimed at reachingat-risk children through ballet andgiving them an opportunity to learnabout performance art. Targeted toyouth who may not normally havethe chance to learn about dance andcreative expression, including ballet,S.T.E.P.S. is designed as a positiveafter-school activity and has beenshown to limit at-risk related behavior.Modeled after a similar award-winningprogram developed by New York’sDance Theatre of Harlem, S.T.E.P.S.has reached more than 1,000 studentswith the goal of producing diversedancers in the industry.By lending support to the OrlandoBallet, Darden helps the organizationcontinue to pursue its missionand create new opportunitiesfor individuals to learn aboutperformance art.Uplift and EducateSince its inception in 1992, the S.T.E.P.S. programhas served over 1,000inner-city childrenfrom Orange and Seminole counties.G O O D N E I G H B O R G R A N T S / 1 3