Blessed by the Arts (5/11/16) //www.williamsbayschools.org/pro/bulletin/rss_posts.cfm?threadid=19&memberid=886 Dr. Anderson's Blog - Blessed by the Arts (5/11/16) en-us Wayne Anderson //www.williamsbayschools.org/about/blog.cfm?posts=1&threadid=19#item_19 Last night my wife and I attended the High School Collage Concert. It was a very enjoyable evening and a great opportunity to view some very dedicated staff and a large number of tremendously talented students. William Congreve once wrote, “Music has charms to soothe a savage breast” and last night’s performance brought a sense of pride, joy and enthusiasm to everyone in attendance. I could not have been prouder of what everyone accomplished. I have always been impressed by how hard our staff works to help provide creative outlets for our students and how our students get up early in the morning and stay late into the evening working with the staff to create performances and projects that showcase their talents and abilities.

As I listened to the individual and group performances, I was reminded of how much the arts bring into our lives. Some songs evoke memories of past events and others can get your whole body flowing with the musical beats. I noticed more than one foot tapping out the rhythm of the songs that were being played.

In addition to the wonderful instrumental and vocal music, the Collage Concert also displayed art works created by students in grades 6 – 12. I am the first to admit that I am not a very good artist; in fact, I have a hard time drawing a stick man with a ruler, but I have come to appreciate the artistic talent in others. I am continually impressed by how creative our students are in expressing their thoughts and ideas through a painting or sculpture. They say a picture is worth a thousand words; if that is true, then there were volumes written last night in the paintings and three-dimensional art works that surrounded the tables. In addition to the art work, several of our technology education students were able to display some of their wood working and metal projects. These projects displayed “true craftsmanship”, something that is always in demand.

Last week, I was able to take my wife and her parents to the Middle School Musical, “The Little Mermaid, Jr.” I was overjoyed by how well the students did in singing their songs, memorizing their lines and then saying them with great accents and gusto. Earlier this month, I was able to take my two grandsons to Disney World and one of the stage shows that we saw was “The Little Mermaid”. I may be a little biased, but I thought our students put on just a good a show as what I saw in Disney World.

When I got to work today, I was notified that several of our students had just been awarded literary prizes for their writing of prose and poetry. As a former English teacher, I am always excited when students can take words and create an emotional impact on their readers. My hat is off to both these students and the teachers that have helped shape their literary career with a love of reading and written expression.

Tonight, I am taking my wife to the Elementary School Exhibit Night. The art show starts at 5:30 p.m. and the Kindergarteners start their musical performance at 6:00 p.m. After the show, my wife and I will walk around the classrooms and hallways to view some of the projects that the students have been working on in their classrooms.

I think the arts have a tremendous impact on our lives. I am so proud to be a part of a school district and community that values the arts and provides our students with a wide variety of opportunities to showcase their talents. The next time that you see an announcement about an upcoming play, music concert or exhibit, please take the time to attend. I am certain that when the evening is over, you will leave with a spirit of optimism knowing that our future is in good hands because it is filled with creative and talented youth.

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