Grammy Winner IZ Avila Launches Transformative Youth Music Program at Fontana’s Stage Red

On July 8, Grammy Award winner IZ Avila launched his inaugural “All Hands On Decks” program at Stage Red, guiding Boys & Girls Club members through an immersive crash course in music, production, and career-building skills.

The Rialto native designed the workshop around four core rotations. “One rotation is the DJ aspect — learning to blend songs and apply effects,” Avila said. “Another group focuses on stage presence, staying in tune with the audience and speaking to them. A third group is working on lighting and audio programming. The last group is learning show logistics — greeting guests and making sure everything runs smoothly.”

Avila added, “The program is comprehensive. It teaches kids all areas of production.”

Students will return for a second session as on-stage talent — running audio and stage services — and later, in phase three, learn invoicing and financial skills. “They’re learning business, financial literacy,” said Avila. “Fontana Unified will then pull students who have completed the ‘All Hands on Decks’ program—who have been added to the Performance Club to DJ, operate lights, audio — it’s a way to retain talent and get them paid for their skills within the district.”

Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren praised the program’s impact, sharing her own experiences growing up in South Central Los Angeles. “I played piano and violin for churches,” Warren said. “My parents always said the more my siblings and I were involved in arts and music, the better chance we had at making it in life.” 

She added that Fontana Unified’s continued investment in the arts helps keep students off the streets, pointing to figures like Blink 182’s Travis Barker as examples of what’s possible.

Fontana Unified School District Board President Adam Perez emphasized the importance of engagement. “Programs like this are so engaging for our students. Our goal is to get kids excited and looking forward to going to school,” Perez said. “All it takes is one class to change someone’s life and this could be it.”

The program is scheduled to expand to the Rialto Unified School District next, with long-term goals of incorporating professional artist partnerships and paid student gigs. For now, Avila said the experience is “revitalizing” for students. “This program is academic in a different way.