Mr. Rufus Morris

Rufus Morris, CEO and President, School of the heARTS, Syracuse, N.Y.

Mr. Rufus Morris

President / CEO of Kingdom Entertainment Company

Founder & Executive Director of School of the Hearts

A 36-year-old native of Syracuse, New York's South Side, Morris used to make rap records under the name "Skratch."He soon blossomed into a national recording artist, multi-business owner, and popular DJ/radio personality on Power 102.1FM, a radio station Morris co-owned and operated.As his career progressed, Morris grew increasingly unfulfilled by the extravagant party lifestyle associated with the entertainment industry.Seeing his community increase in crime and violence with an ever increasing high school drop out rate he opened the School of the Hearts in 2000.

Now when Morris raps it's under the name "Godchild" and his message is more than entertainment.School of the Hearts is an after-school program that offers classes in music, dance, theater, film and radio and television production for middle & high school aged youth.Morris quickly realized his strong influence on youth and began to draw large numbers of students into his program.Seeing the continued budget cuts in public middle and high schools across America, Morris realized that the performing arts, dance, music, and other nonacademic programs were disappearing.Understanding that not all youth are interested in athletics, Morris found it extremely important to keep performing arts, dance, music, and other nonacademic programs available for youth.

Coming from an inner city single parent home himself, he found it necessary that these programs not only be made available, but also affordable.Now in his school's eighth year of operation and with national attention from the US Department of Education Morris has plans to expand his school into a faith based full day performing arts middle & high school charter starting in Syracuse, New York.Morris feels it is not enough to develop artistic and academic skills without developing spiritual growth and also providing a platform for students to apply their newly developed talents and maximize their potential.So he formed Kingdom Entertainment Company, Inc., a production company that would allow his students active involvement in the company's various productions as well as allow him to reach an even larger demographic and spread his positive content through producing entertaining, inspirational and educational television programs, films, music CD's and video games.

"The opportunity to be seen and heard on radio or TV gives youth involved in our programs great incentive to excel in their gifts and talents as well as academically."Says Morris.In addition to his professional production staff Morris has certified academic teachers on staff to ensure academic excellence and create the educational link in his programming and books.Morris was one of the Central New Yorkers who worked to bring music industry executive Russell Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit to Syracuse in 2004.

Hillbrook Detention Center assistant director Julius Edwards, the lead organizer, joined Capt. Dennis Muhammad of the Nation of Islam; and School of the heArts director Rufus Morris; a range of folks from the Syracuse City School District, especially Superintendent Stephen Jones; Board of Education president Calvin Corriders; and Power to Uplift and Motivate Youth director Acua Goodrich.

Guests include: Toyah Willcox on being the wicked queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Milton Keynes; director Rufus Morris on the stage adaptation of Herge's Adventures Of Tintin; Tony Graham, Artistic Director, Unicorn Theatre, talking about Tom's Midnight Garden - the first play at Britain's first purpose built professional children's theatre; and Sian Phillips on her role in the RSC's Great Expectations.
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Guests include: Toyah Willcox on being the wicked queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Milton Keynes; director Rufus Morris on the stage adaptation of Herge's Adventures Of Tintin; Tony Graham, Artistic Director, Unicorn Theatre, talking about Tom's Midnight Garden - the first play at Britain's first purpose built professional children's theatre; and Sian Phillips on her role in the RSC's Great Expectations.

Guests include: Toyah Willcox on being the wicked queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Milton Keynes; director Rufus Morris on the stage adaptation of Herge's Adventures Of Tintin; Tony Graham, Artistic Director, Unicorn Theatre, talking about Tom's Midnight Garden - the first play at Britain's first purpose built professional children's theatre; and Sian Phillips on her role in the RSC's Great Expectations.
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Guests include: Toyah Willcox on being the wicked queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Milton Keynes; director Rufus Morris on the stage adaptation of Herge's Adventures Of Tintin; Tony Graham, Artistic Director, Unicorn Theatre, talking about Tom's Midnight Garden - the first play at Britain's first purpose built professional children's theatre; and Sian Phillips on her role in the RSC's Great Expectations.

Executive Director Rufus Morris said his passion for music inspired the school.Morris, also known as "DJ Scratch" and "God Child," is a recording artist, a disc jockey, a producer and a businessman.He says this is his way of giving back to the community and giving teenagers a chance to express themselves in creative ways.Morris said, "What kept me, when everyone else was in the streets, was vision.I was passionate.I've been doing what I wanted to do since I was five or six years old."Morris used his own money to start "School of Hearts."He is offering courses in media, theater and visual arts.
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Morris has teamed up with the Syracuse School District and other local groups to provide scholarships for the students.For more information on the "School of Arts," call 425-LOVE.

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"There is a tendency toward spectacle with this kind of event, a tendency to become awestruck and forget the purpose," noted Julius Edwards, executive director of the Partnership to Reduce Juvenile Gun Violence, who had cohosted the session with School of the "heArts" director Rufus Morris and helped select the youth in attendance.
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"Afterward the mayor told me he was really enlightened today," Morris observed.