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Downers Grove North and South High school students of the arts have the opportunity to take their studies to the next level.
The fine arts honors program, rolled out this year, brings honors level and Advanced Placement classes to the busy — and often paint-spattered hands — of students.
“In surrounding suburban schools and national schools, we were one of the few districts maintaining a national reputation for fine art that didn’t offer AP options,” said teacher Brayer Teague, fine arts chairman for District 99. “This has been the dream of art and music teachers here for a decade.”
The courses are called honors-weighted, not AP, Teague said, but visual art students have the option to submit their work to the College Board for review.
With added sophistication to the program comes added rigor to the workload, and Teague said it’s not a shoe-in program for anyone with a passing interest in music or visual art. Students will be expected to perform an honors recital or present their body of visual work along with an artist’s statement at one of the schools’ art shows.
| Serious about fine art Community High School District 99 was awarded the top high school music award in the state in 1990 by the Illinois Music Educators Association. About 1,000 students in the district have taken classes in the fine arts program this year. | |
Of about 1,000 District 99 students enrolled in art and music courses, 37 students at both North and South high schools were selected for the program this year, including North junior Alex Karge.
Basically, Dr. (Frank) Piekarz (head of the choral program at North) said it was my choice to join the program, but it’s going to be hard and he’s not going to give out many As,” Alex said.
But Alex is willing to put in extra effort if it means improvement in his singing. It is a common theme among high-achieving students.
“I really liked this program because it forced me to motivate myself to practice,” said North senior Lisa Witek, a drum major for the marching band.
Lisa has benefited extensively from the District 99 Fine Arts Department. As an eighth-grader, she noticed the band was lacking a bassoon, a 4-foot-long woodwind instrument. With the financial help of the Music Boosters, Lisa took private lessons and went to summer camp so she could start a bassoon section in the band.
“I don’t know if I would have continued on, especially with the bassoon, without so much support from the program,” she said. “And then I definitely wouldn’t have had the leadership opportunities and be as happy as I am now.”
