A school without walls: The Northshore School of the Arts




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Southeastern art instructor Kelly Mueller working with Fontainebleau High School students KC Stockhard and Jennifer Spearman in a drawing class at the Mandeville school. The Northshore School of the Arts gives high school students the opportunity to earn Southeastern credit invisual and performing arts-related courses.The program is administered by Southeastern's College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Dr. Tammy Bourg, dean.

 

KC Stockhard and Jennifer Spearman, Fontainebleau High School seniors

Ryan Miller, Salmen High School senior

Kelly Mueller, Department of Visual Arts, Instructor

Richard Schwartz, Department of Music and Dramatic Arts, Instructor

Dr. Tammy Bourg, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Dean

 


 

Motivated, enthusiastic and interested is how Southeastern Northshore School of the Arts art instructor Kelly Mueller described her drawing class at Fontainebleau High School. “I enjoyed it tremendously and believe the students did as well,” she said.


Southeastern art instructor Kelly Mueller arranges glassware for a still life study while Fontainebleau High School student KC Stockhardgets ready to work onher charcoal drawing.



“It’s been a lot of fun,” agreed Fontainebleau High senior Jennifer Spearman. She thinks the eight hours a week of extra work on class assignments was worth the effort. So does her classmate, Michael Mullins.

“I jumped at the opportunity,” said Mullins, who wants to major in art at Southeastern. “The teacher was awesome. I learned a good bit about myself and my art. For instance, I had never used charcoal before, and now I love using it.”

 

Spearman and Mullins are just twoof approximately 40 St. Tammany students who participated in the inaugural semester of the Southeastern’s Northshore School of the Arts. Through this innovative after school program, high school juniors and seniors gifted in the performing and visual arts can take music, art and dance classes plus one-on-one instruction in music and voice faculty for Southeastern credit.

 

Tammy Bourg, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, describes the Northshore School of the Arts as “a school without walls."


“The arts round out and enrich our lives,” she said. “Without exposure to the arts, some children won’t have a chance to discover they have talent. The Northshore School of the Arts is a wonderful example of how a university and schools can work together to enhance opportunities.”

 

Ryan Miller, Salmen High School Senior, in one-on-one lesson with music instructor Richard Schwartz

Salmen High School student Ryan Miller receives one-on-one music instruction from Southeastern music professor Richard Schwartz. 

 

The Northshore School of the Arts provided just the kind of opportunity that Ryan Miller needed.Every week during the spring 2006 semester, Ryan Miller made the 45-minute drive from his home in Slidell to Southeastern, toting a borrowed saxophone replacing the one he lost in Hurricane Katrina.


The Salmen High School senior didn’t mind the trek. He was on his way to his one-on-one music lesson with Southeastern music instructor Richard Schwartz.


“Before this, I just got lessons in band practice,” said Miller. “With this one-on-one work, you can concentrate much better while getting a lot more individual attention.”


Miller plans to continue his music studies and hopes to one day perform with “The President’s Own,” the Marine Corps band and nation’s oldest musical organization.

 



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