Fine Arts Decade Wrap Up

As the year comes to an end and with the decade wrapping up, we are leaving behind a lot of memories for the fine arts program. In the last decade there has been a variety of achievements for every aspect of fine arts that the school provides. As the year comes to an end, it is only proper to look back on the past years that the school has accomplished. With the hope that the next decade will bring the same success for the fine arts program. 

Starting in 2011, The Perry Theater Company (PTC), has started their numerous awards by first winning state championships. In which started a winning streak with 7 more following the first win. Not only did they compete at state and nationals, they were the first out of all Chandler schools to do so. Over the years as the theater program started to continuously grow in not only success, but also the amount of students entering the school as the campus gradually grew double in size for the population of individuals attending here. People came from around the state to come to the school just for its prosperous theater program.

 “We started with three or four classes [and] we now have seven,” said Mrs. Marquis. When asked what the best moments for theater this decade Mrs. Marquis responded,“performing The Adams Family at state [as] people literally ran down the aisle to get the best seats.” The excitement in which a storyline of acting was a memorable thing to take with them to the next decade and to continue with the outstanding program for the years to come.Theater has made an excellent reputation for themselves this decade and will continue to do so in the next decade. Another top moment of the decade was when they made it rain on stage with actual water during a show. The theater program started the CTE tech program this decade and it is now at 3 schools. With all the success this decade we can only hope that it continues into the next decade.

Next within the fine arts to look back on, awards in drawing and painting have been honorably recognized. In the 2012-2013 school year, the drawing and painting kids took first, second, and third at the district competition in the drawing category. This first achievement did not only stop there, but students continued to win first, second, and third for two more years, along with winning first in the painting category in the 2014-2015 school year. With the numerous students that attend here, the numbers only continue to grow in exceptional numbers in award categories as everyone in the art department continue to showcase talent around the school. These students have also placed highly on AP tests in the last couple years earning scores of fours and fives that will only benefit them later on in their future art careers. The drawing and painting kids only continue to dedicate hard hours to see more fruitful years to come. 

In the year of October 2016, at the time, senior Joran Palacio found his success in a play by play broadcasting that eventually earned him a nomination for a Rocky Mountain Emmy. The Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards are a division and a prestigious academy that is dedicated to awarding students in excellence in television. The awards are only in several states, Arizona being one of the four states encompassed among this distinguished accolade.  

From 2017- 2018, the sculpture I class has brought in a new change to their yearly assignments where the day of the dead animal masks were first introduced. These fun, colorful masks would be hung around the school, from the front office, to the glass display case in the D building around the time the holiday was celebrated. It has led to new fun and excitement to the class that has taught several individuals about not only the structure and armature that can lead to new creations, but also about the holiday itself. 

As we reflect back on this year, the end of the decade is ending but the achievements that the next year will bring will be just as memorable as past accomplishments. This decade has brought in a lot of success for the school and will hopefully continue forward into the next decade.