seriously than most of my classmates because my mother was the school ’ s beloved librarian for almost 40 years , Mrs . Dorothy Osborne .
A core value of Saint David ’ s is to act in service of the greater good . At the agency , we serve the community with our company-wide initiate called APA Elevate , where we close our offices every year to allow employees to volunteer at local charitable organizations . Furthermore , I recently steered the company into a partnership with billionaire investor Ron Burkle , who has a number of great portfolio assets in the entertainment sector and is behind the Ronald W . Burkle Foundation , part of which nurtures arts education for children .
My mother and I were reminiscing about my introduction to the performing arts . In the First Grade , I starred in the title role of “ Chicken Little .” While my performance as the neurotic bird may not compare with Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill in “ Darkest Hours ,” it ’ s a memory that ’ s burned in my mind . Arts education was an important part of scholastics at Saint David ’ s . The arts are often relegated in schools or cut from budgets , but the arts teach camaraderie and teamwork . The arts teach reading , writing , and arithmetic in ways that students often don ’ t notice . They teach us about people different from ourselves and how to empathize . The arts teach us the humanities and how to be human .
As much as people remember civilizations and cultures for their accomplishments — whether it ’ s science or engineering or philosophy — the thing that really endures , that become milestones through the ages — are the arts . Learning to appreciate and love the arts , and fostering that love and respect , is crucial for the development of young people – some of whom will become artists themselves and leave behind their own creative milestones for future generations .
On a recent visit to Saint David ’ s , my mother and I were blown away with the physical expansion and imprint the school now holds on 89th Street . The opportunity the students receive by going to Italy every year to observe the brilliant works of art firsthand is incredible . And while these represent big changes from my years there , the spirit of Saint David ’ s remains the same . As always , our school continues to leave its own milestones in the community , and in the hearts and minds of its students . •
Jimmy Osborne ‘ 86 at the Oscars ® with Mary J . Blige and Gary Oldman .
Jimmy Osborne ’ 86 is President and Partner at the Agency for the Performing Arts ( APA ) in Beverly Hills , CA .
Summer 2022 • 41