IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 958 

Expressing support for the recognition of the Dillard Center for the Arts 

Jazz Band for winning first place in the 2018 Essentially Ellington 

Competition, one of the most prestigious national high school jazz band 

competitions in the country. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 22, 2018 

Mr. HASTINGS (for himself, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. DEUTCH, and Ms. FRANKEL of Florida) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 

Workforce 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the recognition of the Dillard Center 

for the Arts Jazz Band for winning first place in the 

2018 Essentially Ellington Competition, one of the most 

prestigious national high school jazz band competitions 

in the country. 

Whereas Dillard High School was founded in the early 20th 

century, with funds from noted philanthropist and outspoken advocate for Black education James Hardy Dillard, as the first public school for people of African descent in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; 

Whereas the music program at Dillard High School, as part 

of the Dillard Center for the Arts, gained fame when the 


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•HRES 958 IH 

legendary jazz saxophonist Julian ‘‘Cannonball’’ Adderley 

served as an instructor of applied music in the 1940s; 

Whereas jazz is an original American art form originating in 

African-American communities from New Orleans in the 

late 19th and early 20th centuries and is considered to 

be America’s classical music; 

Whereas the Dillard Center of the Arts Music Program has 

developed countless student performers into highly accomplished musicians; 

Whereas each year, students from 15 high schools from 

across the Nation are invited by Jazz at Lincoln Center 

to visit New York and perform in the Essentially Ellington Competition, a jazz competition honoring the works 

for the great American jazz composer and bandleader 

Duke Ellington; 

Whereas this year, Dillard Center for the Arts was one of the 

15 high schools selected to compete in the Essentially 

Ellington Competition, led by band director Christopher 

Dorsey, who has been in this position since 2004; 

Whereas Dillard Center for the Arts students Liam Vargas, 

Megan Theis, Rachel Coleman, Marquiec Butler, Kieran 

Hitsman, Juan Cortes, Woodson Previlma, Keyly Granada, Summer Camargo, Cyrus Mackey, Isaac Sepulveda, 

Ryan Granada, Keon Gooding, Charles Blagrove, Mariah 

Delgado, Matthew Rivera, Nathaniel Noel, Farid Cano, 

Miguel Medina, Miles Lennox, Nolan Nwachukwu, 

Jamesly Jeanmary, Joel Anderson, Miguel Russell, and 

Nadia Nicole Bailey all traveled to New York, New York, 

together and performed onstage in the Lincoln Center as 

part of this competition; 


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•HRES 958 IH 

Whereas one of the students of Dillard Center for the Arts, 

Summer Camargo, is an accomplished jazz composer, was 

selected as the winner of the 2018 Essentially Ellington 

Student Composition/Arranging Contest, and will have 

her composition recorded by the Jazz at the Lincoln Center Orchestra with legendary trumpeter and jazz composer Wynton Marsalis; 

Whereas the Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Band was selected as the first place winner of the Essentially Ellington contest by an esteemed panel of judges including 

Wynton Marsalis, Bill Charlap, Jeff Hamilton, Todd Williams, and Erica von Kleist; 

Whereas this esteemed panel recognized the efforts of the 

rhythm section and the trumpet section of the Dillard 

Center for the Arts Jazz Band, as well as the musicianship of vocalist Nadia Nicole Bailey, trumpeter Summer 

Camargo, clarinetist and saxophonist Kieran Histman, 

percussionist Jamesly Jeanmary, and bassist Nolan 

Nwachukwu; 

Whereas, on May 12, 2018, the Dillard Center for the Arts 

Jazz Band accepted the first place trophy, a $5,000 cash 

prize, and gave a performance onstage at the Lincoln 

Center; and 

Whereas this is the third time the Dillard Center for the Arts 

Jazz Band won at the Essentially Ellington Competition, 

after having won in both 2011 and 2012: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) congratulates the Dillard Center for the 

3 Arts Jazz Band for its first place win at the Essen4 tially Ellington Competition; and 


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•HRES 958 IH 

1 (2) commends the Dillard Center for the Arts 

2 for its contributions to the education and nurturing 

3 of outstanding young jazz musicians. 

Æ 


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