At The School of Arts and Enterprise (The SAE), a diploma is just the beginning. Our tuition-free, audition-free charter school is built to launch students into whatever comes next – college, careers, or both. Don’t just take our word for it. We asked six SAE graduates where their spotlight has taken them. Here’s what they had to say.
Matt Garcia-Ramirez: The Scholar-Artist
Matt enrolled as a freshman eager to expand his artistic range and be surrounded by fellow artists. Now studying Social Policy and Public Service at UC Irvine, he’s dedicated his research to arts education in Latinx communities, self-published two poetry collections, and shown his work in a local gallery. “Follow your passion,” Matt says. “It will take you places you’ve never imagined.”
Alyssa Corella: The Working Actor
After being homeschooled her whole life, Alyssa enrolled at The SAE for high school because she knew she wanted a future in the arts. Today she’s a working actor with a Theatre degree, Honors in Acting and Honors in Musical Theatre from UC Irvine – and she’s come full circle, now substitute teaching arts classes at The SAE. Her advice? “Take every opportunity to learn and engage. Here, you get free education with professionals who’ve actually worked in the industry.”
Elias Feldman: Bound for London
Elias came to The SAE in 2021 to pursue theatre, and he hasn’t looked back. He’s now earning his BFA in Theatre Performance at Chapman University, with a semester abroad at a theatre academy in London on the horizon. “The SAE taught me college-level material in a way that was easy to understand,” he says. “A lot of what I’m learning now, I first learned there.”
Addison Macedo: Proof It’s What You Make of It
Addison arrived as a freshman looking for “other weird, artsy people” – and found them. Now a second-year Communications student at UCSB, she was hired for a concert production job specifically because of her SAE credits, and still teaches acting at The SAE’s Sing, Act, Dance program. “The SAE is what you make of it,” she says. “Take every opportunity and you’ll be so well prepared for what comes after.”
Fatima Espinoza-Corona: From the Stage to Public Service
Fatima joined in 7th grade after falling in love with Broadway, and stayed all the way through graduation – where she got to perform one last time with her best friends. She’s now working toward a degree in public administration with hopes of running for Mayor one day, while keeping art in her life through music theory and guitar lessons. “The SAE prepared me academically and artistically,” she says, “but most importantly, I left believing in myself.”
Jestina Rangel: The Multi-Hyphenate
Jestina spent six years at The SAE, drawn by the small class sizes and hands-on learning. The week before graduation, she was offered jobs by three different companies she’d connected with through school. Now finishing her degree in Acting at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film & Television, she works across acting, stage management, tech design, marketing and teaching. “I wouldn’t have this training without my mentors, teachers, and peers at The SAE,” she says.
Six students. Six completely different paths. One thing in common: a school that gave them the skills, the confidence, and the connections to go after what they wanted. If you are ready to find your own spotlight, applications for the 2026-27 school year are open now. Visit our website to start your application today.
About The SAE
The School of Arts and Enterprise (The SAE) is an audition-free and tuition-free arts charter school serving grades 6-12. Our campuses are located in the Pomona, CA Arts Colony, surrounded by a thriving professional arts community. We offer nationally-recognized, award-winning arts education and creative entrepreneurship for young artists through project-based learning and flexible block scheduling. Students are supported by a close-knit community that values creative expression and celebrates differences. Join The SAE today! Enrolling now.
