by Dahneja Jackson and Olivia Stanford
The arts are giving students the 21st century skills to succeed in the real world.
Henrico County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Dr. Eric Jones said the arts fit perfectly within the school’s mission to “inspire, empower and educate every student to be prepared for success in the 21st century.”
“The arts inspire collaboration, creativity and problem-solving, which are essential skills for students,” Dr. Jones said.
Art department leader and teacher Dawn Vass said art classes provide the skills that many students lack.
“Art programs encourage creativity, confidence, problem solving, perseverance, focus, non-verbal communication, receiving feedback, collaboration and dedication,” Ms. Vass said.
In photography class, students learn to use cameras, effective lighting techniques, industry standard editing software and Google Sites to maintain portfolios in class.
Technology education teacher Dan Stooks said students are learning life skills.
“They have an opportunity to be creative as well as learn techniques and foundational material,” Mr. Stooks said.
World history teacher and Drama Club sponsor Gary Colletti said the arts teach students to be innovated and to work as a team.
“It absolutely enables creativity, collaboration and the interpretation of information to create brand new products that are only possible through 21st century skills,” Mr. Colletti said. “[Drama] is unlike other activities because it is built on a joint communicative effort.”
Junior Peregrine “Pippin” Covington has written two plays in Drama Club, “Cockroach Can Fly” and “Alice in Wonderland Noir.” He also takes ceramics class. He said the arts have helped him in core classes like math.
“Being in Drama Club has helped me know what to do, when to act,” Pippin said. “It helps me stay sane so that I can do math. It makes me care for school while math doesn’t.”
Marian Wilson, a former college admissions representative for St. Mary’s College of Maryland, said the arts can be just as important as core classes on a college application.
“If a student does well in all the classes that are a part of their discipline, but they don’t do well in the other ones, I don’t know how well-rounded they are,” Ms. Wilson said.
Ms. Wilson also said that colleges not only look at grades, class rank and grade-point average, they also look for something that makes a student unique and valuable.
“If a student was in the arts, and they were in a jazz band, or they did take up a photography class or has photographed some special event, we would always look at that [as if] they could do that here.” Ms. Wilson said.
Assistant Principal Katy Noah said the arts make give students avenues to explore beyond traditional activities.
“I feel like [the arts are] an exposure to other ways of learning and creativeness,” Ms. Noah said.
According to Ms. Vass, the arts provide students with an understanding of the world.
“Everything in our lives has been touched by art,” Ms. Vass said. “With the arts, you can see the history of the culture from the very beginning.”
Senior Whitney Packer said band director Christopher Moseley encourages students to do well in all of their classes. She also said she sees band as an important part of her high school experience.
“I love being a part of marching band and color guard because it is an outlet,” Whitney said.
Mr. Colletti hopes that art will become a part of each student’s day.
“I encourage any students who have toyed with getting involved in any of the arts, whether it’s performance, visual or musical to get in the habit of doing something artistic every day,” Mr. Colletti said.
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