562.570.2679
Kate.Kuykendall@longbeach.gov
Public Affairs Officer
Long Beach Airport
Long Beach, CA – Long Beach Airport (LGB) this week welcomed home more than 75 student-musicians from Jordan High School who traveled to New York City to perform at Carnegie Hall. The students’ trip was made possible through a community fundraising effort led by the City of Long Beach’s Mayor Rex Richardson and the Mayor’s Fund for Long Beach, with Southwest Airlines generously providing all air travel vouchers.
"Getting these young musicians from Long Beach to New York City was a true community effort," said Mayor Richardson. “The opportunity for these students to play at Carnegie Hall wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible collaboration between Long Beach Unified School District, the Mayor’s Fund for Long Beach, Long Beach Airport and others—especially our friends at Southwest Airlines—who hit all the right notes to make this happen.”
Mayor Richardson and the Mayor’s Fund for Long Beach helped raise money for the trip by organizing a benefit concert in late 2023 to help cover hotel accommodations, educational workshops and other expenses related to the students’ Carnegie Hall performance.
Southwest Airlines provided flight vouchers for all the students—an estimated value of $32,000, in an effort to help the students’ dreams take flight on a national stage.
"To realize their dream at Carnegie Hall is exactly why Southwest exists, to connect these talented musicians with their moment," said Kayla Valencia, Southwest Airlines' Southern California Leader of Corporate Responsibility. "Along with our friends at Long Beach Airport, our team is honored to pick up the baton in an orchestrated effort, along with the City of Long Beach, to compose a cross-country journey of promise for these young Californians."
The students from Jordan High School departed from Long Beach Airport on Saturday, March 9, and returned Wednesday, March 13, with the Airport hosting a send-off and celebration for the young musicians.
“Supporting our Jordan High School students’ journey to Carnegie Hall represents the collaborative spirit and commitment to excellence and equity that defines our community,” Long Beach Unified Superintendent Dr. Jill A. Baker said. “This remarkable achievement showcases the power of partnership between Long Beach Unified School District, the Mayor’s Fund for Long Beach, Long Beach Airport, and Southwest Airlines. We are immensely proud of our young musicians, and this experience exemplifies the endless opportunities available to our students when we come together to support their dreams.”
“It’s music to my ears to see young talent take flight,” said Airport Director Cynthia Guidry. “Long Beach Airport is a gateway for dreams to soar, and we are proud to have played a part in orchestrating this journey.”
LGB, recently named for a second consecutive year among the Top Ten airports in the country by Condé Nast Traveler magazine, currently offers service to 24 nonstop destinations around the nation, which is more than at any time in LGB’s nearly 100-year history.
About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.
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