Schools hold first annual Arts Festival

Students from both sides of the Mississippi River will have the opportunity to show parish residents musical, theatrical and traditional art displays at the school district’s first-ever Arts Festival on March 28.

Three stages will be featured at the festival. Stage 1 will highlight musical performances and games. Stage 2 events will consist of theatre performances and skits. And Stage 3 will be reserved for electronic visual arts and other musical activities.

“The purpose of the Arts Festival is to increase awareness among the public and school district administrators,” said Rick Treuting, co-chairperson for the school board’s arts subcommittee. “Our subcommittee believes that this day of performances and exhibitions will serve to increase appreciation for the depth and quality of instruction in the arts in St. Charles Parish.

“Ultimately, we hope that more students will choose to take arts electives and that school administrators will recognize additional opportunities to schedule arts classes.”

The public will have the opportunity to view paintings, drawings and portraits from every school in the district.
“This affords an opportunity to see how basic skills and talent are nurtured and developed over the grades and multiple years,” added Treuting.

Another interesting experience will come through the public’s participation in the development of a very large mural.

“Let me also point out that in addition to our student music performances, we will have a concert from our adult community band,” said Treuting. “This will represent the fact that our art instruction has a lifelong impact. All of the musicians in this band have been associated with one of the band programs in our schools.”

Treuting says that the arts are an important part of any school curriculum that helps shape a child’s education.
“The arts provide opportunities to address intelligence, aesthetics and learning styles that are limited to the core curriculum,” he continued. “And it unites and enriches the cognitive skills addressed in that curriculum.”

The festival doors are open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Professional Learning Center in Luling, located at 12727 Highway 90 in the old K-Mart building.