Celebration Of The Arts At Newtown Middle School

By Susan Coney

Students of Newtown Middle School displayed a wide array of talents at last weeks Celebration of the Arts. The event was a blend of art, music, technology, and athletic performance that made for an interesting and thought-provoking evening that encouraged discussions between students and their families.

The celebration ran as an open house from 6 to 8 pm. During the evening families were invited to view projects and works of art that the students had been working on all year.

Parents were invited to the auditorium to hear individual student recitals, a percussion ensemble, a concert choir, and jazz band perform.

Outside, a climbing demonstration took place based upon skills learned in the course Project Adventure. Physical education students performed various dances. Other activities included Viva Mexico for Spanish students, story corner for reading, and Holocaust/genocide projects completed by GATES students.

Technology teacher Don Ramsey invited parents to participate in a “Technology Education Interactive Open House.” Various students served as tour guides as parents went to different work stations in the room that represented seventh and eighth grade class activities such as electricity, hot air balloon model testing, model tower compression testing, mechanics and geometric structure models.

Mr Ramsey said, “It was really a situation where the students became teachers for the parents. In Tech Ed, we believe that teaching is the highest level of learning.”

The students serving as guides and instructors for the technology open house were Devon Miles, Dani Kaufman, Brady Eggleston, Rachel Cox, Ed D’Amico, Josh Milas, Autumn Ingram, Sarah Ferris, and Charlie Lunblad.

Students in Family and Consumer Science stepped up to the plate for this celebration of excellence by preparing traditional treats that recognize Newtown’s Tercentennial. Students prepared and cooked Johnnycakes and Indian squash muffins for all to enjoy with donations benefiting the SOS for Childhood Hunger program.

Roseann Beck, Family and Consumer Science Teacher, praised her students for long hours and effective team work in the preparation, setup, and distribution of the tercentennial treats.

Art students of Claudia Mitchell and Arlene Spoonfeather had an enormous amount of work on display. Seventh grade students worked in small groups and accepted the challenge of creating nine-foot-tall Greek architectural style columns. The students learned how to work skillfully with pastels and to work cooperatively within a group.

Earlier in the year Gustav Klimt and the Art Nouveau movement was the inspiration for a 16-week project undertaken by eighth grade artists.

Beginning with the structure of the human head, students worked with colored pencil to produce a portrait/self-portrait that would then be the starting point for a Klimt style figure.

The Celebration of the Arts at Newtown Middle School gave the students the opportunity to share with their friends and families many of the hands on learning experiences they have been involved in throughout the year. Clearly a great deal of effort on the part of the students and faculty produced excellent results and a successful event for all to share.