Students Make Art, Earn College Credit

Arts High School visual arts students had the opportunity last fall to participate in the Essex County College High School Initiatives program. Since they took the class during the regular school day at their high school, very few people saw the art.

That was until March, when The Gallery at ECC’s main Newark campus was filled with the wide spectrum of art and photographs the students created under the tutelage of art faculty. The students even spent an afternoon on campus for a reception.

“This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to be able to work with real artists such as photojournalist Jay Seldin,” said Margaret El, chair of the Visual Arts department at Arts High School. She added the initiative provided the vehicle for the high school students to expand their creativity.

Jerry Bruno, coordinator of the College’s High School Initiative, said 25 Arts High School students took part in the program last fall. A total of 641 students from 22 high schools throughout Essex County participated in the initiative last semester.

The Arts High School students earned ECC credits in either ART 108 – Life Drawing, or ART 140 – Introduction to Photography. The life drawing students worked with adjuncts and high school art instructors. The participants receive dual credit in that they are graded as part of their high school curriculum while also earning ECC credits (three credits) for the classes.

During the March exhibit, The Gallery was filled with a wide spectrum of artwork, ranging from sketchbook works to chalk pastel figures, to skeletal studies in oil pastel on colored paper to mixed media.

As she perused the photographs, high school initiatives curriculum specialist Kathleen DiChiara marveled at the quality of the photos. “Having their work displayed here gives the students good recognition and is a way to encourage them to continue expressing their creativity.”