VSAOC Teacher Spotlight 
Phyllis Berenbeim
Phyllis Berenbeim, Visual and Performing Arts Consultant with the Orange County Department of Education, serves as the Coordinator of Very Special Arts Orange County. (VSAOC) She has found this position most fulfilling for almost 30 years. Half of her 41-year career in education was spent with VSA and she has continued to work with these programs since her retirement in the year 2000.
Growing up in Greenville, Texas, where she was born, Phyllis was destined to include the arts as a vital part of her life and career. She began piano lessons at the age six, and continued as a music major in college at East Texas State University, earning a Bachelor of Music Education degree. She received a Master of Education degree, with a major in music, at Adams State College, Alamosa, Colorado. While attending Adams State, she paid out-or-state tuition by holding several part-time positions, including teaching piano at the college, teaching piano lessons on Saturdays at a local music store, playing in a 4-piece jazz combo on Saturday evenings, and served as a church organist on Sundays.
Her first teaching position was a part-time music teacher, grades 5-12, in Walsenburg, Colorado. Following the birth of her son, Kurt, a professional trumpet player in the Disneyland Band, she substituted for a couple of years, and then became a Kindergarten teacher. Upon moving to Pasadena, CA, she taught Kindergarten and First Grade. She relates the joy she found in teaching music to 5 and 6 year olds. In fact, she credits her success as a teacher to the fact that she taught almost everything through music.
In California, after several years of teaching, Phyllis became a Music Consultant at the District Office in the Pasadena Unified School District. There, she had an opportunity to do demonstration teaching in the elementary schools and was the teacher in a district television program entitled: “Introduction to Music Reading.” She continued on to become the Program Director of Music for the district.
While in Pasadena, Phyllis was suddenly struck by the importance that the arts play in the lives of individuals with disabilities. She would roll a piano out onto the playground at Roosevelt School, which served all ages and all disabilities. A sing-along proved that students reacted with much excitement and involvement in music. An annual District Choral Music Festival featured a young 6 year-old boy, a paraplegic, singing “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy.” His sweet voice brought the house down with a standing ovation, and brought his mother, backstage, to tears. He brought Phyllis Berenbeim to a new realization about her career. She knew then that she wanted to focus on arts in special education.
Coincidentally, soon after, in 1977, a flyer was received describing a new position being established with Orange County Department of Education to coordinate arts for students with disabilities. The rest is history. Phyllis applied, got the job, and has loved this work ever since. The program is affiliated with VSA arts, an international organization started by Jean Kennedy Smith in 1974, as a program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. During the early years, Phyllis had the opportunity to serve as State Coordinator for California, Regional Advisor for the Western United States, and enjoyed visits to Washington, D.C., meeting with other state leaders and observing festivals featuring artist/performers from all over the world. In 1981 and 1985, Phyllis coordinated 2 statewide festivals in California, one which included several groups from Mexico.
In about 1991, Phyllis became the Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts at the Orange County Department of Education. With added responsibilities, she was allowed to continue to coordinate arts programs for the disabled. She maintains involvement in several arts organizations, including Arts Orange County Board of Directors and Orange County Music and Arts Administrators. She has previously served as President of VSA arts of California.
Awards include: Orange County Arts Council; Council for Exceptional Children, Orange County Chapter#188; Golden Lyre Award, Philharmonic Society of Orange County; Employee of the Month, Orange County Department of Education; Irene Schoepfle Award, Orange County Music and Arts Administrators; Outstanding
Arts Educator, Arts Orange County; Outstanding Administrator, Orange County Music and Arts Administrators; Heroes in Education Award, California State Lottery; and an award from the California Arts Council for service to arts education.
