Jean Kim Cortés Scholarship Foundation

The Jean Kim Cortés Scholarship Foundation supports the love and passion that Jean had for the arts by supporting students in the Los Angeles Unified School District in continuing their study of music beyond high school. Jean’s hope was that that one day they, too, could play on the stages of the Music Center, the Hollywood Bowl or in any venue to which they aspired. By supporting the Scholarship Foundation, you will be contributing to Jean’s wish to provide students with the resources to pursue and realize their dreams in the arts.

About Jean Kim Cortés

As an immigrant student who arrived in the US when she was 14 years old, Jean’s love of the creative arts led to her graduation from UCLA with a degree in the arts. Later, she went on to become an elementary school teacher where she assisted immigrant students in making the transition to a new language and culture.

For 30 years Jean brought her creative talent and personal experiences to hundreds of students in the La Cañada and Los Angeles Unified School Districts. As an advocate for children, her love of the arts allowed her to enrich the classroom experiences of her students. Whether it was painting, singing, dancing, performing class plays, or creating an Opera Club, Jean’s energy and devotion stirred the inner artist in the hundreds of kindergarten and first grade students she taught.

In 2009, Jean retired when she was diagnosed with Thymic Carcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer. Despite being told she had only a short time to live, her relentlessness and resiliency provided the strength for her to become involved and assist in many music programs within LAUSD.

The goal of the Jean Kim Cortés Foundation is to carry on her legacy of touching and changing lives through the arts.

To make a secure, tax-deductible donation online, click on the button below. You may also send checks payable to the California Community Foundation, noting that the donation is for the Jean Kim Cortés Scholarship Foundation. Checks should be mailed to:

California Community Foundation
717 W Temple St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

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Contributions to the California Community Foundation represent irrevocable gifts subject to the legal and fiduciary control of the foundation’s board of directors. This charge will appear on your credit card statement as a payment to “Calif Comm Fdn – CCF”. In addition, California Community Foundation incurs a third-party administrative fee of 2.7 percent for credit card contributions. The foundation will charge the fee directly to the individual fund.