Dear Families and Friends,
As we near the end of 2019, I’m reflecting on what an amazing journey the last several months at The Academy have been.
After the extraordinary success of our Gala last May, we have made enormous physical and cosmetic upgrades to our home, from building a new science lab and a new computer lab, to overhauling one of the Theatre/Musical Theatre studio spaces (lovingly called “The Rusk”) with a new lighting system and new floor. Nearly every classroom has had some amount of cosmetic work completed on it, and the school has never looked better since we moved to this building in the early 90’s!
In August, I had the privilege of giving a TED Talk called Life at the Intersection of Excellence, Purpose, and Passion. In it, I tell the story of an Academy student’s film that inspired me to advocate for the arts and an arts education in a different way. The talk is inspired by the countless Academy students who have shown me that we live our best lives when we reject mediocrity, defy our limits, dream audaciously, and love the journey. I hope you’ll take a look and let me know what you think.
In September, we formally launched our new Photography curriculum, a collaborative project between the Visual Arts and Media Arts Departments. Made possible by a generous gift from photographer Tom Fiske, the program includes a new photography studio space, an arsenal of computers, cameras, lenses, and lighting gear, and a photography teacher. Our first exhibit, Light and Line: An Exploration, debuted a formidable collection of new work.
The AIDS Benefit continues to be one of The Academy’s most important traditions, and this year’s event did not disappoint. Raising more than $8000 for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, director Grania McKirdie and her crew sold the entire run of shows and delighted audiences with work from across the school.
Finally, we look ahead to Showcase on Saturday, February 8. Showcase is The Academy’s premiere community event, when we highlight top work from each of the school’s arts departments in front of our largest audience of the year. This year, we will present the Faculty Legacy Award to Visual Arts Department Chair Margy Stover. A master artist and teacher, Stover has — among numerous other accolades — received the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program Grant and a Fulbright-Hays Seminar Abroad in China, and we hope that you will join us for this special evening at the Athenaeum Theatre.
Happy Holidays from all of us at The Academy!
Jason Patera
Head of School