The Fine Arts Seal of Proficiency is an award in the form of a seal that students can be awarded on their diplomas that has only been around for three years. Chandler Unified School District started awarding the seal to it’s students last year when they decided to let all CUSD schools participate. Students who have a certain amount of fine art credits and hours are able to apply for this seal which goes on their diploma as well as their transcript. This seal, similar to that of a Seal of Biliteracy, requires an application process with specific requirements for whichever fine art it is being awarded for. 

“It is definitely something students have to work on for their whole high school career because they work on developing a body of work or some sort of capstone project to submit at the end,” said photography teacher Megan Driving-Hawk. 

The requirements to receive the seal are:

• GPA of 3.0 or 4.0 in each of the qualifying arts/career and technical education (CTE) courses
• 4 minimum credit requirements in one of the following ways: 
  • minimum of 4 credits in one artistic discipline: (dance,  music, theatre, visual arts, or media arts) or; 
  • 3 credits in one artistic discipline; and 1 credit in a  qualifying creative industries CTE credit or separate  discipline; or 
  • 2 credits in one artistic discipline, and 2 credits in a qualifying creative industries CTE course or separate artistic discipline
• 80 hours of arts related extracurricular activities 
• A student capstone project

A student capstone project is a piece/body of work that showcases intelligence and creativity regarding a specific discipline. For the fine arts seal, the project must showcase the students’ talent with their discipline and how they can use it professionally/in the outside world.

“It can be anything open to the general public that incorporates the art form,” said dance teacher Rebecca Miller, “performing arts could put on shows or performances, arts can put on exhibitions, anything of the such.”

Since this award is still fairly new to everyone, not just Perry, it does not carry as much weight as something like the Seal of Biliteracy does, yet. But this seal offers fine arts students an opportunity to showcase their talent on their transcripts in a way that not everyone else can. 

“The seal is a great addition to our diplomas and will really show to colleges that we enjoy whatever art we have spent so much time focusing on,” said senior dancer Sydney Howell.

Given the current state of the world, finding things like volunteer hours or service projects has become very difficult. Having the chance to do a solo project like the capstone that revolves solely around ones passion is a great opportunity in itself, and the fact that students can be awarded for it makes it that much more worth the effort.