Art
God created us with two vital aspects. The first is that we are made in His image and as such we have a desire to create, to manipulate our environment. Secondly, we are made as unique spiritual beings and we express our uniqueness through our creations. Art is also a reflection of our spiritual relationship. It mirrors the soul of man.
Students are given the opportunity to implement what they are learning in the arts through performances in chapel, at class performances, nursing home visits, and programs including the annual Grandparents Day Musical performance, and the annual Junior High Melodrama performance. Our elementary and high school students attend local plays throughout the school year either as a class field trip or as part of our HS Formal. All of our elementary students memorize and recite scripture weekly and have the opportunity to memorize poems as well. We have an award winning Poetry & Prose team in our lower elementary that performs multiple times in the Spring and competes at the Tulare County Office of Education Poetry and Prose Festival. One of our fun Homecoming traditions that our student body looks forward to every year is our HS class Lip Sync Competition. Students are encouraged to develop a lifelong love of music through exploration in the classroom and participation in performance.
Students are also given the opportunity to discover the Master Artist and His many creations. Many teachers will incorporate in their curriculum an exploration into different artistic media including drawing, sculpture, painting, as well as content about artists and why they created their works of art. Entries are also made to the Kings Art Center’s Young Masters Art Show. The goal is to help students cultivate a lifelong love of art as a medium to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Of course, having fun and generally making a mess with our hands are great opportunities for creative play and fine motor skills development.
High School Fine Arts Elective Courses offered are: Photography, 21st Century Yearbook Design, Ukulele, Art, Choir, and Drama (not every course is offered every year).
Poetry and Prose Highlight
Each student is selected by our Chairman and Coach of the team, Carol Stone, who matches the students with a poem that best represents their own interests and personalities, allowing for a more meaningful and fun experience. The lessons and instruction given within the program help to prepare the students for their future in whatever field they are called into, whether that be a speech at their work or an oral report in fourth or fifth grade. The skills and experience they gain while preparing for the presentations carry over into other aspects of their lives, including their academic performance. This can be seen in their study habits and their ability to attack concrete and abstract concepts in all subjects. Poetry and Prose gives the students an opportunity to have an amazing experience while becoming better equipped to face the future that is before them.
Melodrama Highlight
Our melodrama production gives every 7th and 8th grader the opportunity to expand their horizons and open up a world of new possibilities. By being given the chance to speak in front of an audience, their confidence can be grown and they can be introduced to different ways of serving the Lord, utilizing the various talents and gifts He has given them. The goal is not only to build confidence, but character, understanding that it is not only what we produce, but how we produce it. In turn, our students will learn and become better prepared for the opportunities God has for them in the future.
