School Named After Rock Legend Carlos Santana

Los Angeles - The Los Angeles Board of Education voted today to name a newly opened North Hills elementary school with a focus on the arts after Grammy Award-winning guitarist Carlos Santana.

Valley Region Elementary School No. 12 in the San Fernando Valley will be officially called Carlos Santana Arts Academy.

"I am passionate about the arts because I know that it was arts that kept me in school and got me to college," said board member Nury Martinez, whose district includes the school. "I believe it's every child's right to have access to a quality education, and a quality education includes sustained learning in the arts."

Santana, 64, was born in Mexico and started playing the violin at age 5.

His professional career playing Latin-infused psychedelic rock, jazz and blues spans five decades. Santana formed the Santana Blues Band in 1966 in San Francisco, but his career took off after he played Woodstock in 1969.

His classic songs include "Oye Como Va," "Black Magic Woman," and "Evil Ways."

The 10-time Grammy winner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in 1998.

In a statement, Santana said he was deeply honored to be the school's namesake.

"Each child's soul is the seed that contains light and love," Santana said. "By investing in patience compassion, kindness, and gentle wisdom, each child will bear fruit of divinity."