Showcasing student learning

May 13, 2008 05:13 am

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On one level, Saturday's first Gloucester Student Arts Festival — presented by the Gloucester Education Foundation — gave student artists, musicians, actors and others the chance to showcase their works and talents for area residents.

On another level, the festival provided even more than that: It gave those students' parents, friends and all other residents the chance to get a rare first-hand look at the wide variety of learning that goes on each and every day in Gloucester's schools. And in that sense, especially, we hope this festival indeed proves to be the "first annual" event of its kind, with many more editions ahead.

Saturday's event included elementary school students' art exhibits at Gloucester Post Office, pottery and industrial art works by Gloucester High students at Cape Ann Museum, a high school creative recitation at Sawyer Free Library, and a ballroom dancing demonstration by O'Maley Middle School students at City Hall.

Pam Lally, one of the event organizers, noted that the event was meant to showcase the arts as an integral part of the school curriculum — "not just an adjunct," she said. Similarly, Maggie Rosa, the volunteer executive director of the Education Foundation, emphasized that the one-day festival was designed to "celebrate all the wonderful things that are already happening in the schools."

"There's a lot going on, and we're very excited about it," she added.

She should be — and other community residents should be as well. But unless adults have children in schools, or have some other direct connection to the world of education, chances are they have no idea what today's schools and school programs are about — or how much students and teachers pour into them.

Perhaps next year, the Gloucester Student Arts Festival could even expand beyond arts, music and creative writing programs to other disciplines and demonstrations as well.

Congratulations to all who worked to make this event a success — and best wishes to all for keeping this event on the community calendar for the future.