Features

What excites Willard Middle School eighth grader Naima Yi most about attending Berkeley High next year is its visual arts program, something the thirteen-year-old described as “super awesome.” 

Naima got a taste of BHS’s acclaimed visual arts program on Thursday, thanks to the high school’s annual Arts on the Run program, an hour long event which gives eighth graders an overview of the wealth of performing and visual arts programs available to them in the classroom. 

“I really really really want to go for the mixed media arts. It’s my super favorite thing in the whole world,” said Naima. 

Naima’s excitement is shared by students, teachers and administrators alike.  

Suzanne McCulloch, program supervisor for the Berkeley Unified School District’s Visual and Performing Arts curriculum, described Arts on the Run as a very important link between the high school and middle school. 

“It’s a showcase of Berkeley High School talent. It provides an opportunity for BHS students to present themselves in public and allows them to set a good example to the younger generation,” she said. 

“For the middle schoolers, it’s a good way to ask questions, to learn about all the wonderful things awaiting them in high school.” 

Started by Berkeley High dance teacher Marsha Singman almost a decade ago, the program underwent a hiatus for a few years, till it was revived by BHS Vice Principal Denise Brown. 

“Denise’s sudden death in February prompted me to make this happen once again. I hope to make this an annual feature. Next time the emphasis should be more on explaining the classes to the kids. We also want to focus on the sports programs.” 

Students from BHS’s jazz, modern dance and media arts divisions traveled on two school buses from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and made stops at Willard, King and Longfellow elementary schools for an hour each. 

“We are here to show the eighth graders what kind of dances they can get involved in when they get to Berkeley High,” said BHS senior Nina Gordon-Kirsch, who was practicing steps at Willard for the choreography “Hip Hop Thesis,” which would be performed by the Dance Production students. 

“I went to King but I never got to see BHS perform. I think it helps a lot in making up your mind about a program,” she added. 

Although hip hop does not feature on the list of dances in the classroom at BHS, “Hip Hop Thesis” was clearly the huge favorite among all the performances that day. 

Visual arts instructor Kimberly D’Adamo illustrated the various visual arts offerings—ranging from traditional and digital photography to ceramics—and the creative arts curriculum—which includes such media as 2D and 3D art, welding, sculpture, printmaking and magazine production—through a powerpoint presentation. 

Performances included scenes from the popular Disney movie High School Musical by the theater class, the solo song “One Night Only” from the Academy-Award winning movie Dreamgirls, and quartets by the BHS Jazz club. 

“It’s a great way to introduce students to artistic offerings at BHS,” said Willard eighth grade history teacher Richard Hourula. 

“They are not just spectators. They can start anticipating what they can expect at high school and how they can make best use of their time,” he told the Planet. 

As the Berkeley High Orchestra received a standing ovation for Dvorak’s 4th Movement from the New World Symphony, instructor Karen Wells said the purpose was to show students that high school was also about having fun. 

McCulloch told the Planet that research showed that students who participated in the arts went on to excel in their SATs and higher studies.  

“It’s important to find a niche for yourself in school. There are over 3000 students at Berkeley High but we have something for everybody. Students should know that collaborative efforts build strong personalities,” she said. 

McCulloch also supervises the Berkeley LEARNS after-school program, which provides students a chance to dabble in the creative arts after class hours. 

Efforts are being made to offer this program—primarily funded by state grants—to Berkeley Technology Academy (B-Tech) students as well.