8th Grade Arts Night: Class of 2022
Last week, the Class of 2022 put on their Arts Night.
Gallery talks, speeches, and of course, their choreographed dances, all highlighted the wonderful talents of this group of unique individuals. Poignant, deep, funny, and sweet, in so many different ways, the 8th grade moved us with their work. Everyone was filled with tremendous pride. As I said that evening, if they can do all this, there is truly nothing they can't do! Kudos to the Class of 2022.
Also, special thanks to Dawn Southworth who so expertly guides the students on a quest to find the artist in themselves. To Jeffrey Bartsch for helping students find their voices and for making them see that they have important things to say. Thanks to Emily Twombly for finding the dancer in each student and to Lara Jardullo for keeping it all going. Of course, we could not have done it all without Sydney Clarke and Sarah Bailes helping students prepare and to Lindsay Calef and Rich Nickerson for their labor. Thank you also to the parent volunteers who so wonderfully hung the show. It was just a perfect celebration of a wonderful group of young people.
White Shirt Project
Students are challenged to create a work of art, inspired by a contemporary artist, using a white shirt as their canvas. The work is done entirely at home, with regular check-ins with Art Teacher Dawn Southworth. They are also required to write a two-page research paper on their chosen artist, guided by Humanities Teacher Jeffrey Bartsch, present their work to their classmates in a two-minute gallery talk, and, finally, present to an audience of family (and friends in a non-pandemic year!) at Arts Night.
