Summer Spotlight on the Arts
By Russ Sperling, Director of Visual and Performing Arts
"Summertime, and the livin' is easy..." or if you're an arts student in the Sweetwater district, it's time to tap into new opportunities to shine.
While we are fortunate to have strong arts programs in Sweetwater schools, it's the great summer enrichment programs sponsored by the district that also set us apart.
The Sweetwater Summer Arts Academy recently wrapped and the Summer Theatre Institute is currently in rehearsal.
Grease! is the word at the Summer Theatre Institute. This unique program brings professional theatre people together with district teachers and Sweetwater students to produce a high quality musical each summer. Directing the program this year is Lisa Berger, a professional award-winning director who loves to develop talent in student actors.
The musical opens on Thursday, August 5 at 7 p.m. at the Ruth Chapman Performing Arts Center at Eastlake High School. Grease! runs for three nights with one Sunday matinee. We hope you will attend this exciting and fun production.
To learn more visit: http://www.suhsd.k12.ca.us/vapa/vapanow/
Sweetwater stands out when it comes to a district musical theatre production--San Diego Unified is the only other district in the county that offers such an experience for its students.
Another district gem is the Summer Arts Academy.
At the Camp Cuyamaca mountain retreat, 160 of our most talented visual and performing arts students spent five days in July honing their craft. There they received six daily hours of intense instruction from outstanding teachers.
Each student polished their skills all week in their chosen area such as band, orchestra, vocal, mariachi, dance, bailé folklórico or visual art students. And, given the mountain environment, they avoided the usual distractions--cell phones didn't work! In this incubator, many students progressed as much as they might have in a whole semester at school, according to Charlie Wolf, Camp Director.
This sort of arts summer camp doesn't exist in any other district in San Diego County. Our campers not only enjoyed a premier opportunity in accelerated learning in their chosen craft, but they experienced the outdoors.
Along with unforgettable memories, academy participants come home with new maturity and new leadership skills to share at their schools.
We hope you'll continue to support arts in our schools and enjoy the performances by our stellar students.
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