As many know, I am an art kid. I’ve taken Art I, Art II, and am currently doing an independent study with Ms. Montgomery, ACC’s art teacher. I want to do a double major, and one of those two majors will be Fine Arts. However, at a school that prides itself on preparation for adulthood, higher education, and careers, people with an interest in art are completely marooned. With only two art classes and no possibility to take them multiple times, students who plan to apply to art programs are left at a major disadvantage. To a lot of colleges, AP Art is proof that students are committed. Without it, applicants run the risk of being seen as not prioritizing art. High-level art classes also give committed students the chance to improve their skills, get feedback, and find their focus areas and style.
You might assume that, as a STEM school, ACC/Tech wouldn’t really need art classes. That isn’t true, though. Firstly, there are many people at this school who love art, plan to study it, or plan to work in the art field. These people were drawn to ACC for its STEM courses, CTE classes, small class sizes, etc. Secondly, even if you aren’t planning to go to art school or have an art-related career, high-level art classes can still be great. Maybe you’re interested in doing art as a side hustle, or you wish you could go to art school, but you can’t for whatever reason. Art classes can still benefit you!
The solution students are consistently presented with is to return to their home schools (the high schools students were zoned for). The all-too-familiar comments like “you chose, and this is what you get,” and “if you don’t like it, then you have to transfer,” drive me insane. Specifically, in terms of upperclassmen, transferring is not a reasonable option. With most upperclassmen having 3-4 years here already, having built relationships with teachers, staff, other students, being used to the way the school works, and having plans for the remainder of their time here already, leaving the school behind would uproot our lives.
On top of that, students aren’t just at ACC for its classes; they are also here because it’s a much smaller school, and that and other features make it much more neurodivergent-friendly. The school is also known for its community, often described as nerdy or diverse. Many students with marginalized identities end up at ACC, and many of those students are concerned that they would be bullied at their home schools.
There are many layers of unfairness to this issue. For one thing, students can travel from their home schools to ACC, but we are stuck here, not allowed to use the buses that are ALREADY THERE IN THE BUS LOOP. Another extremely frustrating thing is the expectation that students should source their own art classes or courses outside of school if they want an art education. That “obvious” suggestion does not take into account people’s income levels and access, nor the demands on their time.
In reality, many people cannot afford or go to extracurricular art classes that they have to pay for themselves. There are, indeed, free art programs, such as the Fine Arts Apprenticeship Program, which is really great. However, it’s no substitute for dedicated art courses.
Another issue related to lack of access and income inequality here is the ability to purchase the materials needed to do certain types of art at home. While some people can shell out the money to make art completely independent of schools, buying things like canvases, paint, and printing blocks, others rely on materials provided by schools. Without art courses, especially higher-level ones, students who want to do art may be unable to purchase good art supplies, or art supplies at all.
They also won’t have all of the other benefits of high-level art classes, such as exposure to new art styles and art forms, helpful critique, and education on techniques and processes. Yet another benefit of art classes is giving students a dedicated time in which they can make art.
For upperclassmen especially, finding any time to create art in or out of school can be extremely difficult. Between classes, homework, part-time jobs, internships, capstone projects, college tours, applications, and other extracurricular activities, a lot of juniors and seniors just don’t have the time. Art classes are motivating and provide space and time for busy upperclassmen to improve their skills without worrying about falling behind in other things. It also means their attention is less split, and they can achieve higher grades.
How to solve this problem? It’s very simple. ACC should offer AP Art III and AP 2D Art and Design. Our art teacher is already qualified to teach them, and people want and need these courses, so this is really a no-brainer and would benefit everyone.
(Also, since I’m making requests, we need sinks in the new art room. Please give us sinks.)
