Christian Heritage School
ACSI Region: Rocky Mountain
Location: Riverdale, UT
Program Objectives: (1) to enhance the core curriculum; (2) to provide opportunities to explore student creativity through activities that appeal to multiple learning styles; (3) to heighten the awareness by students of their abilities and interests; and (4) to glorify God through the arts, emphasizing that all people are capable of creativity, design, imagination, and appreciation of creation
Summary of Program
During the week of May 5–9, 2003, Christian Heritage School (CHS) celebrated the arts through practical applications, learning sessions, and a variety of assemblies. The week also included a fine arts production with the nation’s largest touring children’s theatre, the Missoula Children’s Theatre.
Parents, local artists such as the Weber State University String Project, and creative members of the community led one-hour sessions for the students each afternoon. All the students in grades one through six selected two week-long workshops from a long list of such creative options as sign and interpretive movement, graphics, clay, dance, textiles, painting, weaving, quilting, music, rhythm, origami, and videography. Then on Friday, parents, families, and the public visited the school from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. to view presentations that revealed what the students had accomplished throughout the week.
The Missoula Children’s Theatre, a nonprofit organization based in Missoula, Montana, arrived on Monday, May 5, at CHS. They brought a set, lights, costumes, props, and makeup—everything it takes to put on a play—except the cast. The tour team held an open audition on Monday afternoon and cast between 50 and 60 CHS students to perform in Treasure Island. The students rehearsed the production throughout the week and presented a public performance on Friday afternoon and on Friday evening.
During the mornings, the tour actors and directors also presented three enrichment workshops on drama skills. In addition, an author of published literature for children led three writing sessions for sixth graders, and a local museum sent docents to discuss artistic techniques in a variety of art forms.
Students spent the entire week gaining exposure to the world of art and focusing strictly on their creativity because they had no homework in other subjects. Lexi Johnson, a sixth grader, believes interests and skills in the arts will serve students throughout their lives: “Every profession will mix art with it in some way. Writers use art; doctors use art. God created the world with an image in His head, and look what He has done with the world. When you think about it, it’s so important for children to be exposed to the arts. [Art is] everywhere around us.”
Tammy East, music teacher and strong advocate of this emphasis, encouraged the decision. She remarked, “The arts focus on different areas in the brain. You can’t believe how some children change when you get them involved. Not only do they develop self-confidence, but many of them who struggle academically actually improve after being exposed to the arts.”
CHS held this week of interactive learning and creativity to enhance the core curriculum and to provide opportunities for children to use multiple learning styles. A more important reason was to glorify God through artistic expression. God obviously values aesthetics. One look at the created world shows that God is interested in more than utility. If we believe all of life is sacred, we will view the arts as products of our being created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–27).
Creativity, social skills, goal achievement, communication skills, and self-esteem—these are what students attained through participation in this unique, educational project. Above all, they learned they can glorify God through the arts.
Celebrate the Arts Week 7.4