Insights Spring
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Spring/Summer���� ’06 �������������������������������������� �� �� �� �� ALIVE! WITH THE ARTS AT WHITFIELD Students Discover Ways to Open Their Minds THERE’STHERE’S CCHEERING,HEERING, TTHERE’SHERE’S DDANCING,ANCING, TTHEREHERE AARERE NNOTESOTES AANDND VVOICESOICES RRAISEDAISED IINN SSONGONG FFLOATINGLOATING TTHROUGHHROUGH TTHEHE HHALLWAYS.ALLWAYS. PPhotos,hotos, ddrawingsrawings andand sculpturessculptures welcomewelcome youyou toto examineexamine themthem moremore closely.closely. IIss iitt a ttheater?heater? IsIs itit a concertconcert hall?hall? IsIs itit anan artart gallery?gallery? YYes,es, tthishis iiss WWhitfihitfi eeldld SSchool.chool. SStudentstudents aatt WWhitfihitfi eeldld aarere eexposedxposed ttoo a ccurriculumurriculum tthathat iiss ccontinuallyontinually eevolvingvolving yyetet cconsistentlyonsistently pprovidesrovides sstudentstudents wwithith tthehe ttoolsools aandnd tthehe oopportunitiespportunities toto workwork individuallyindividually andand collaborativelycollaboratively toto expressexpress ideasideas andand toto engageengage inin creativecreative problemproblem solving.solving. FFromrom academicsacademics andand athleticsathletics toto artsarts andand otherother activities,activities, WhitfiWhitfi eldeld studentsstudents havehave moremore choiceschoices thanthan theythey havehave timetime ttoo eexplorexplore themthem all.all. Students,Students, wwhoho cchoosehoose ttoo eengagengage iinn fi nene artsarts atat WhitfiWhitfi eld,eld, whetherwhether performingperforming oror visual,visual, discoverdiscover thethe nearlynearly limitlesslimitless possibilitiespossibilities forfor self-expression that each of the fi ne arts programs offers. VISUAL ARTS THE PERFORMING ARTS The Visual Arts program is designed to support The Performing Arts program is designed to develop students in achieving the following objectives: the language and communication skills and creative acquisition of essential studio techniques and skills problem-solving strategies; to promote a positive self- to serve artistic intent, an understanding of how to concept, social awareness, empathy, a clarifi cation of approach art making as a problem-based process, values and attitudes, and an understanding of the art of an understanding of how to develop a theme pperformance.erformance. ThereThere areare twotwo aspectsaspects toto thethe PerformingPerforming ArtsArts through visual imagery, and the ability to articulate program; Music and Theater. artistic concepts and use artistic vocabulary to critique work effectively. Theater Music “I’m very proud of my students because, when PerformingPerforming I see their performances, they individualize iiss aann eessentialssential the process of theater,” said Amy Allen Cano, aactivityctivity fforor aanyny director of theater. “They really learn to develop mmusicusic groupgroup Mikey Thompson ’09 plays percussion. their skills, whether it be character development, and is therefore technical aspects, directing or set design.” expected of the band and choirs at Whitfi eld School. Students have a choice; there are many In theater classes, students learn more than the musical groups to join including: 6th Grade study of dramatic literature; they bring literature Chorus, Beginning Band for fi rst year members, to life. They learn about Concert Choir and Band for 7th and 8th grade, phrases and beats and read upper school Chamber Choir, upper school signifi cant plays throughout Instrumental Ensemble, Jazz Choir or Jazz the year, including works by Band for select juniors and seniors, men’s and “When I am teaching art, I teach Tennessee Williams, August women’s Barbershop Choirs, Pep Band and the possibilities,” said Ann Kram, fi ne Wilson and Oscar Wilde. In Trash Can/Samba Band. Students participate arts department chair. “In the arts, 9th grade, students spend in performances and occasional group the challenge is to discover your a great deal of time playing rehearsals, but their involvement in music own, unique voice; whether you are trust games and working on doesn’t stop there. creating a beautifully functional form exercises in which they read in ceramics, or addressing a political a play and learn character Students who participate in music classes learn development. As the classes more than just music; their lessons often involve issue in a painted composition, you are Amy Allen Cano directs the bringing your intuition, your feelings, and actors during a dress rehearsal advance, students spend more math, history and language. In Chamber of “Once on This Island.” your ideas to bear upon your work. We class time on improvisation, oral want our students to be comfortable with the idea Continued on page 13 Continued on page 13 that there are no right answers in art making and to learn, in the process, how to play with and explore possibilities. Creative problem solving is at the core of what we teach. We know that only a handful of our students will stay in the discipline and that INSIDE INSIGHTS: knowledge has challenged us to consider what is essential about the arts for meaningful learning: in the words ............................ p. 2 in support .........................pp. 10-11 learning how to think creatively and communicate effectively are skills used consistently across in recognition .....................pp. 3-4 inspired ............................. pp. 12-13 disciplines.” in the study .........................pp. 4-6 in step ...............................pp. 14-15 As students discover that art is simply another form in the life ............................pp. 7-8 in touch ............................pp. 16-19 of communication, albeit one based in imagery, innovative ................................. p. 9 Continued on page 12 � � ������������ Dear Whitfield Alumni, Families and Friends, Our students of the great Class of 2006 have completed their exams, I am already looking forward to the years ahead and seeing are currently experiencing Senior Quest, and will soon cross the Class of 2006 alumni at the annual softball and soccer matches, graduation stage and begin a new era of life. Thinking back on the reunions, Montage and visiting in our halls. And in time, I years of hard work and study that have brought these young men know that many of these young men and women will join and women to this milestone, I am reminded of all the reasons why with the fiercely loyal group of Whitfield alumni that currently I love Whitfield, reasons that this class exemplifies. stands alongside our school as benefactors and long-time friends. Maybe they will return to support our school in The Class of 2006 reminds me of our school’s success, with students other ways, as did two of our alumni who recently spent heading to Carleton, Dartmouth, DePaul, Elon, Georgetown, Miami, their January internships working in the development and Stanford and many other fine colleges and universities in the fall. communication office here at Whitfield. In doing so, Casey Jolley ’03 assisted in event planning and Montage preparations while They remind me of our school’s spirit with the way they lifted each other Nadya Schmitter ’02 aided in the development of this newsletter. Nadya’s through mutual encouragement and drew upon each other’s strengths, contributions can be seen throughout these pages; more specifically, a story giving us an unforgettable Spirit Week, a positive fan base for our Warrior about Casey and Nadya can be found on page 16. athletes and an attitude of fun that transforms adversity into challenge. When I think of Whitfield School’s success, spirit, integrity, caring, and This class reminds me of our school’s integrity with their leading roles on the passion, I will think about the Class of 2006. I will think about their families Honor Council and their thoughtfulness during interactions with our and the love they demonstrated by providing a Whitfield education. And I younger students. will think of our larger Whitfield family in which they will soon hold the status of alumni, a title they have earned and should carry with pride. They remind me of our school’s caring with the environmental efforts of Project 20/20, multiple canned food drives, ongoing Katrina relief, and As you read the articles throughout the rest of this newsletter, I hope you many hundreds more hours of community service both on and beyond will share the pride we have in all of our students, our teachers and our Whitfield’s campus. families. And I hope you will enjoy these latest Insights into the life of our school community. They remind me of our school’s passion with their visual works of art, as well as their music, dancing, acting and representing our school with Sincerely, both excellence and good sportsmanship on the fields and courts of our athletic programs. Most of all, the Class of 2006, reminds me that our school is a family. Graduation means a change in status, but not necessarily a change in relationships. Just as our graduates will soon leave home, they will soon leave Mark Anderson Whitfield School. But this is not the end. President WHITFIELD SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT: Whitfield School is a small, college-preparatory learning community that fosters excellent habits of mind, productive social skills, and personal integrity in an innovative, student-centered environment. Our core values are: • Success of every student in academics, arts, activities and athletics. • Individual and collaborative engagement and achievement. • Ethical behavior of the members of our community. • Learning as a lifelong process. • Intellectual, ethnic, religious and social