WOODBURY — The art program at Nonnewaug High School is one of the school’s hidden gems. From the outside looking in, the program looks effortless. However, the people involved in the arts work hard year-round to make the art program what it is.
Anyone who walks down the hallway at 5:30 p.m. might realize lights are still on in the art room. That’s because the students in art classes and the National Art Honor Society are grinding hard on their pieces.
Art teacher Leeza Desjardins has been at Nonnewaug for 31 years and is the advisor for the National Art Honor Society. She says that after-hours work sessions can be more beneficial than class time.
“When we are able to stay here later and come back at night, we don’t have any disruptions,” said Desjardins, “[like] getting up, going to English, worried about a math test. Instead, we get to focus for a good three or four hours.”
Students who stay after are not just in regular art classes, but many are also in the National Art Honor Society. The honor society has high qualification standards like all other honor societies.
“You have to have an 80 or above in the art class you’re taking right now,” said sophomore Morgan Willis, the NAHS parliamentarian said. “You have to take the Foundations art class and be a returning [art student], and you have to have 30-plus hours of community service every year.”
Not only are students working hard in school during their art classes, but also students are spending their time outside of school to work on projects.
“Towards the end of the year, I would say I spend almost every single day after school for at least two hours in the art room to either help clean up to get extra community service hours, to prepare for projects, or work on some of my own projects,” said Willis.
Staying after school in the art room is not only for working on serious projects or preparing for events, but also it is a time to experiment with new art materials and techniques.
“It’s an open art room, it’s an open studio,” Desjardins said. “Students can throw on the wheel for the first time and try new things.”
Though students are working hard and trying new things, they are also having fun and bonding.
“There is nothing wrong with kids getting food, getting pizza and bringing it in and being a family and having some food together and talking to each other about art,” Desjardins said. “It is quality time.”
Like Desjardins, senior Audrey Rogers, president of the National Art Honor Society, agrees that the bond in the art room is like a family.
“The bond is very positive, very familial,” said Rogers. “We will have music going, have food and we will have a movie going. It’s all very connected and it’s easy to talk to anyone in the room.”