High school can be a pressure-filled time – grades really count for something and going to college, the thing your parents have talked about for years, becomes a reality. High school is also a time when your gifts start coming into focus: many are able to identify an area of the visual or performing arts they enjoy, which is where CHCA comes in with a variety of opportunities for them to hone their skills. From the Electric Jazz Orchestra, which has played their unique blend of rock, jazz, gospel and pop in Kenya and Puerto Rico (not to mention all over town), to AP Studio Art and AP Music Theory (for those who are ready for the challenge of college-level instruction), we have a variety of ways for our artistically gifted students to excel.
Other students may discover that they’ve studied piano for 10 years but have always wanted to take up dancing or try photography. That’s why we have classes, clubs and extracurricular activities that will appeal to those who have never picked up a paintbrush or auditioned for a play. They can see the world with new eyes in photography class, join the chapel worship band, try improv, or spend their Intersession learning ballroom dancing. What’s great about CHCA is that the size of the school, coupled with a devoted arts faculty, means people of all skill levels get a chance to play, dance or draw.
What’s more, there are ways for students who would rather learn how to run a show than perform in it to get involved. With a dedicated stage-prep/set building area, state-of-the-art sound and light technology, and an after-school club devoted to stage management, students can learn the ins and outs of producing a play or concert with the best equipment and guidance.
Come by sometime and take in a practice session, play, art show or concert, and you’ll see why 75% of our students participate in a fine arts activity. It’s nice to know that with these diverse opportunities, students can get a foundation that enables them to pursue a college major they hadn’t considered or pick up a new skill.