At first glance artist Andy Warhol, designer Zac Posen, and author Joyce Carol Oates would seem to have no common experience.  Yet creativity unites them.  Each was a recipient of the Scholastic Art and Writing Award.  The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program is one of the world’s most prestigious events for students in grades 7 through 12.  Each year, creative students throughout the United States, Canada, and American schools abroad, submit more than 150,000 works of art and writing to be evaluated by educators, professional visual artists and writers.  Many award winners, like Warhol, Posen and Oates, have gone on to be pioneers in their fields.

Webster students have been included in this time-honored program for most of its 87 year history and 2010 is no exception.   Dr. Johanna Siebert, Director of Fine Arts, recently announced that Webster high school students received 24 regional Gold Key awards in painting, drawing, photography, design, mixed media, sculpture, and portfolio.  The significance of this accomplishment is noted by Schroeder Advanced Placement (AP) Art teacher, Bill Stephens, who explains that Webster students compete against schools from across the county including magnet and private schools whose primary focus is art. 

The artwork of Gold Key recipients now proceed to the national round of competition where students will be considered for national recognition, internships, and scholarship awards.  2009 Webster graduates received nearly $500,000 in scholarship awards to continue their education and training.  Webster alumni have been accepted at many of our country’s most prominent art schools and colleges and have gone on to establish careers in the diverse fields of visual arts.   

While we look forward to June when we will learn who from Webster will receive further recognition, we want to acknowledge Webster’s art program is not just for the elite art student.  Todd Stahl, Thomas AP Art teacher, stresses that Webster’ art courses strive to cultivate the “creativity and artistry” that exist in all students, qualities that can lead to success in any career.  Webster’s K-12 art curriculum is rooted in New York State standards for the visual arts.  In elementary school, students experiment with a variety of media (drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, etc.).  K-5 art teachers guide them as they develop their own ideas and images using the elements and principles of art: line, color, texture, and shape.  As students progress through middle and high school, they focus on specific media, further developing their skills and talents.  They learn to communicate meaning through their art work, and how specific media and techniques can deliver powerful messages. 

The quality and talent of Webster’s art staff matches the quality and diversity of its art program.  Webster’s teachers are accomplished professionals in their own right, contributing and editing articles for national journals, exhibiting original works in art shows, and receiving individual honors and awards.  It is their ability to teach by doing that inspires many Webster students to pursue a career in the arts or in art-related fields such as marketing, advertising, and design.  Our students’ art work is regularly displayed through rotating exhibits at Webster’s district offices on the third floor of Spry Middle School  You will also find student work at Community Arts Day which will be held Saturday, April 10, at Webster Schroeder High School.  I invite you to stop by district office or Community Arts Day to see how we nurture student creativity and recognize the artist in everyone.