Arts & Academics Academy School Profile (May 2010)
It's the end of the semester, and nearly 500 students, parents, community members, and staff are packed into the gym on the Evergreen campus on this Thursday evening. Arts Night Extravaganza is about to begin.
(L to R) Sally Mallot, office assistant, Alita White, office manager, Maria Santiago, family liaison and special ed para educator working with students Baby and Neal Tafia, siblings who both attend AAA.
The Arts & Academics Academy (AAA), one of three small, independent high schools on the Evergreen campus, hosts an Arts Night every semester where students showcase their skills in music, dance, drama, and visual arts. For many students, it's their first public performance. The range of talents is impressive; the program might include a French horn solo, salsa dance, one-act plays, a sculpture exhibit, and much more.
What makes this school unique is the rich arts curriculum. Freshmen and sophomores take a four-semester introductory sequence exposing them to the four major arts disciplines. Upperclassmen can take advanced arts classes.
"Students may not all identify as artists when they enter our school, but they get multiple opportunities to experiment with various arts disciplines, and they leave with a strong appreciation for the arts," says Principal Vic Anderson, who started his education career as a band teacher.
But although fine arts provide a framework for this school, staff and students are quick to tell you this is not a performing arts high school. AAA is all about preparing students for college or other post-high school education.
"There is no fluff here," declares dance teacher Maya Soto. She points out that AAA has a rigorous, college-preparatory curriculum that includes Advanced Placement classes. "AAA students work hard intellectually and discover the connections between the arts and other subject areas." For instance, in one Advanced Placement language arts course, students are asked to create a piece of art that interpret the themes of Hamlet.
"Everyone thinks only artsy kids and singers come to this school," says senior Joshua Velasco. "Our school is very creative in what we do," he says, "but the focus is on academics."
Junior Tuyet Nguyen, a 4.0 student and newly elected student body president for next year, says she has been very challenged academically at AAA. At a recent Advanced Placement European History exam, she noticed that over half the students were from AAA.
Tuyet Nguyen
AAA staff makes sure that every student has exposure to higher education, through college fairs, university visits, and opportunities to meet college representatives. Students in grades 9 through 12 can take AVID classes, a course that teaches study skills and other college knowledge. AVID students are monitored closely in all academic areas and make regular college visits throughout the school year. So many students want to take AVID that there is a waiting list.
"The school staff is serious about helping students focus on furthering their education," says parent Maria Santiago. "Their goal is for all students to go to college or university after high school."
Social studies teacher Christy Dahms remembers a particular girl, an average-performing student who seemed to want to fade into the background. Dahms and some of her fellow teachers saw the girl's untapped potential and encouraged her to take on leadership opportunities, including a college-prep summer program. She did, and came back in the fall a changed girl. She started a pregnancy prevention program at the neighborhood middle school and became active in student government. And in dance class, she developed tremendous confidence in her performing abilities. Bolstered by this confidence, she blossomed from a C student into an A and B student. She now attends Eastern Washington University, the first in her family to go to college.
That kind of strong personal investment in individual students is characteristic of AAA. "We consider ourselves a community and a family," says Santiago. Teachers know virtually every student by name and are familiar with their strengths and weaknesses as learners.
The student body is small - only 340 students - and very diverse, with students representing 40 nationalities from all over the world. Many students are new to the U.S. and are just learning English. The beauty of the arts core classes is that many of the newcomers can participate in class starting their first day. They often participate in Arts Night, performing dance or music they bring from their home countries.
"In many of our arts classes, students are encouraged to take risks and try new things that are outside their comfort zones," says English Language Learner (ELL) teacher Anne Gregory. "This attitude carries over into the classroom where some students experience more academic confidence."
Senior Hami Bahadori came to AAA from Iran a year ago with "a little English." At AAA, he got interested in photography, learning how to work with the equipment and making contacts with professional photographers. This year, Hami designed the AAA yearbook cover. He has been accepted at the Art Institute of Seattle for next fall.
Teacher Edie Bishop works with students in the computer lab.
"All students at the Arts and Academics Academy have something unique to say," says language arts teacher Edith Bishop. "We just help them find a way to express themselves and reach their potential as scholars and citizens."
A growing body of contemporary thought says that creativity is the critical skill for success in the information age. That's not lost on AAA staff. "Our goal is to prepare students to be creative and critical thinkers in any field," says Bishop. "Creative thinking is what is needed to solve the problems our world is facing."
Principal Vic Anderson joins in with a group discussion in Language Arts. (on Vic's left is 9th grader Sanela Orucevic, across from Vic is 9th grader Nefateria Bolin and next to her is Danielle Jordan.)
"We see our school as an opportunity to help kids be successful - and, have an amazing, memorable, meaningful high school experience," says Principal Anderson. "The performing arts experiences are giving students the confidence and tools to go out and be what they want to be. Many are getting opportunities to experience the arts for the first time - and they say, 'Hey, I'm good at this.' That's really satisfying as a leader here."
"Watching kids discover the arts is amazing," says Soto, the dance teacher. She's inspired by the transformation she sees in students over four years-- freshmen who are quiet and unsure of themselves becoming young adults who are courageous enough to perform before an audience of 500. "They are confident in who they are and positively glowing! These are the kinds of experiences that stay with people for life."