By Kim Underwood
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
SEPTEMBER 19, 2016 – Friday was a particularly rich day at Reynolds High School.
In the morning, students in one of Amy Cruz’s art classes were taking the first steps toward creating works of art that speak to the sometimes disturbing experiences of people in the wider world, such as being displaced by social upheavals.
In the middle of the day, while students throughout the school enjoyed their lunches at picnic tables set up outside, Braiden Sunshine – who was a semi-finalist on season 9 of The Voice, a television show in which aspiring singers perform for such judges as Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani – sang on a stage under the trees.
And, throughout the day, juniors at Appalachian State University who plan to become teachers worked with Reynolds teachers and students.
With the art project, students have been working with Cruz and social studies teacher Cris Wiley and with Kathleen Ramich, a Winston-Salem sculptor whose works often speak to the need for social justice and political change in the United States. Thanks to an Arts in Education grant from the N.C. Arts Council, Ramich is at Reynolds as an artist-in-residence.
As students have explored such materials at the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and talked about ways in which the concepts could be incorporated into works of art, Ramich has emphasized the importance of students finding their own voice both when it comes to art and to matters of social justice.
“You have a voice,” she told them.
“I hope they walk away with an awareness that their message, their feelings, their thoughts count,” Ramich said.
On Friday morning, students in Cruz’s class began the process of turning their ideas into tangible works of art. Students said they were excited about the project.
“I think it’s really cool that that we get to express ourselves,” said junior Malayah Cannon.
“It’s a fun and good experience,” said sophomore Robert Edwards.
As sophomore Morgan Miller sanded a picture frame she will use for a piece, she said, “Art is a great way to positively express all those bad things that are happening in the world.”
One of the pieces she is working on will illuminate some of the issues confronting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). Other students are dealing with equally weighty topics.
“Some of them are really serious,” Miller said.
When the pieces are done, they will go on public display. Both Miller and Edwards are looking forward to other students at Reynolds seeing what they have done.
“It can give kids a chance to see what reality is really like,” Edwards said.
Some of the art pieces will be on the lighter side.
Senior Joseph Tiller said that, in his circle of friends, he’s the one people often turn to when they’re feeling low.
“I have always been the kind of guy my friends look to to crack a joke,” Tiller said. “I always try to bring a smile to their face. It’s natural from me. I like making other people happy.”
With so many of the other art pieces focusing on serious issues, he wanted to create a piece that shows that – with all that’s going on in the world – people are also having positive experiences.
“There is still good through all the evil,” he said.
So his piece will include images of Reynolds students interacting with each other in upbeat ways. “I wanted to do something that is more relaxing,” he said.
At Reynolds, the theme for this school year is Access. That includes celebrating diversity and making students understand that “everyone is valued and that they have important things to say and we value what they say,” said Karen Morris, the school’s arts magnet director.
In asking students to explore what matters to them, Morris said, this project is in keeping with that.
The art pieces will also be seen by the community beyond Reynolds. In early October, art educators from throughout the state will be in town for the annual N.C. Art Educators conference. They’re scheduled to come to Reynolds to see the exhibit and to hear from people participating in the project.
The pieces of art will be on display outside the building so members of the Winston-Salem community can see them as well.
Braiden Sunshine is a high school student himself. As he was setting up, he said that he hoped that everyone would have a good time. If he had a message for students, he said, it was “If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.”
This was his first visit to Winston-Salem.
His aunt, Iris A. Sunshine, is the executive director of the Children’s Law Center of Central North Carolina, a Winston-Salem-based organized that works to help children grow up in safe environments. That connection led to him being invited to come down from his home in Connecticut to perform on Thursday night at the center’s Birthday Blast celebration.
“He lent his voice in support of other children,” Iris Sunshine said.
On Friday, 40 juniors in the teaching program at Appalachian State came to Winston-Salem for the day. They divided into four groups. Each spent the day at one of four schools – Cook Literacy Model, Brunson Elementary, Wiley Magnet Middle, Reynolds.
With Sunshine performing, the members of the Reynolds group decided to enjoy their lunch sandwiches on the metal benches by the stage. Joshua Boone, who had spent the morning in physical education classes, said that observing classes in the subject he plans to teach had been quite helpful.
“I think it’s extremely valuable,” he said.
Asked whether he had learned anything in particular, he said that he had indeed. As one teacher had put it, he said, “P.E. is organized chaos.”
Adam Moore, who wants to be a high school history teacher, also said he had gotten a lot out of his time at Reynolds.
“The learning environment here is so positive,” he said. “Reynolds is a very unique school with a big focus on the arts and creativity.”
Moore is from Kernersville. A 2014 graduate of East Forsyth High School, he was clear early on that he wanted to become a teacher one day.
“I have always had a passion for education throughout my life,” he said.
Over the years, he said, he had a lot of good teachers, and part of his desire to become a teacher comes from appreciating what teachers have done for him and wanting to do the same for others. Asked whether one teacher in particular stood out, Moore mentioned Stephanie Wallace, an English teacher at East Forsyth who works with the N.C. Teacher Cadet program, which provides teaching experiences for students interested in becoming teachers.
Moore would be delighted to come back here to teach one day.
After Braiden Sunshine finished performing, he invited Reynolds students to come down and visit with him. Armed with smart phones to get a picture with him, a number of students took him up on the offer. Freshman Keanna Ginyard was one of them.
It all made for a great lunch break, said Ginyard, who was there with freshman friends Phoebe Burrus and Emma Greene.
“He’s amazing,” Burrus said.
Kim Underwood
[email protected]
336.727.2696
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
SEPTEMBER 19, 2016 – Friday was a particularly rich day at Reynolds High School.
In the morning, students in one of Amy Cruz’s art classes were taking the first steps toward creating works of art that speak to the sometimes disturbing experiences of people in the wider world, such as being displaced by social upheavals.
In the middle of the day, while students throughout the school enjoyed their lunches at picnic tables set up outside, Braiden Sunshine – who was a semi-finalist on season 9 of The Voice, a television show in which aspiring singers perform for such judges as Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani – sang on a stage under the trees.
And, throughout the day, juniors at Appalachian State University who plan to become teachers worked with Reynolds teachers and students.
With the art project, students have been working with Cruz and social studies teacher Cris Wiley and with Kathleen Ramich, a Winston-Salem sculptor whose works often speak to the need for social justice and political change in the United States. Thanks to an Arts in Education grant from the N.C. Arts Council, Ramich is at Reynolds as an artist-in-residence.
As students have explored such materials at the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and talked about ways in which the concepts could be incorporated into works of art, Ramich has emphasized the importance of students finding their own voice both when it comes to art and to matters of social justice.
“You have a voice,” she told them.
“I hope they walk away with an awareness that their message, their feelings, their thoughts count,” Ramich said.
On Friday morning, students in Cruz’s class began the process of turning their ideas into tangible works of art. Students said they were excited about the project.
“I think it’s really cool that that we get to express ourselves,” said junior Malayah Cannon.
“It’s a fun and good experience,” said sophomore Robert Edwards.
As sophomore Morgan Miller sanded a picture frame she will use for a piece, she said, “Art is a great way to positively express all those bad things that are happening in the world.”
One of the pieces she is working on will illuminate some of the issues confronting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). Other students are dealing with equally weighty topics.
“Some of them are really serious,” Miller said.
When the pieces are done, they will go on public display. Both Miller and Edwards are looking forward to other students at Reynolds seeing what they have done.
“It can give kids a chance to see what reality is really like,” Edwards said.
Some of the art pieces will be on the lighter side.
Senior Joseph Tiller said that, in his circle of friends, he’s the one people often turn to when they’re feeling low.
“I have always been the kind of guy my friends look to to crack a joke,” Tiller said. “I always try to bring a smile to their face. It’s natural from me. I like making other people happy.”
With so many of the other art pieces focusing on serious issues, he wanted to create a piece that shows that – with all that’s going on in the world – people are also having positive experiences.
“There is still good through all the evil,” he said.
So his piece will include images of Reynolds students interacting with each other in upbeat ways. “I wanted to do something that is more relaxing,” he said.
At Reynolds, the theme for this school year is Access. That includes celebrating diversity and making students understand that “everyone is valued and that they have important things to say and we value what they say,” said Karen Morris, the school’s arts magnet director.
In asking students to explore what matters to them, Morris said, this project is in keeping with that.
The art pieces will also be seen by the community beyond Reynolds. In early October, art educators from throughout the state will be in town for the annual N.C. Art Educators conference. They’re scheduled to come to Reynolds to see the exhibit and to hear from people participating in the project.
The pieces of art will be on display outside the building so members of the Winston-Salem community can see them as well.
Braiden Sunshine is a high school student himself. As he was setting up, he said that he hoped that everyone would have a good time. If he had a message for students, he said, it was “If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.”
This was his first visit to Winston-Salem.
His aunt, Iris A. Sunshine, is the executive director of the Children’s Law Center of Central North Carolina, a Winston-Salem-based organized that works to help children grow up in safe environments. That connection led to him being invited to come down from his home in Connecticut to perform on Thursday night at the center’s Birthday Blast celebration.
“He lent his voice in support of other children,” Iris Sunshine said.
On Friday, 40 juniors in the teaching program at Appalachian State came to Winston-Salem for the day. They divided into four groups. Each spent the day at one of four schools – Cook Literacy Model, Brunson Elementary, Wiley Magnet Middle, Reynolds.
With Sunshine performing, the members of the Reynolds group decided to enjoy their lunch sandwiches on the metal benches by the stage. Joshua Boone, who had spent the morning in physical education classes, said that observing classes in the subject he plans to teach had been quite helpful.
“I think it’s extremely valuable,” he said.
Asked whether he had learned anything in particular, he said that he had indeed. As one teacher had put it, he said, “P.E. is organized chaos.”
Adam Moore, who wants to be a high school history teacher, also said he had gotten a lot out of his time at Reynolds.
“The learning environment here is so positive,” he said. “Reynolds is a very unique school with a big focus on the arts and creativity.”
Moore is from Kernersville. A 2014 graduate of East Forsyth High School, he was clear early on that he wanted to become a teacher one day.
“I have always had a passion for education throughout my life,” he said.
Over the years, he said, he had a lot of good teachers, and part of his desire to become a teacher comes from appreciating what teachers have done for him and wanting to do the same for others. Asked whether one teacher in particular stood out, Moore mentioned Stephanie Wallace, an English teacher at East Forsyth who works with the N.C. Teacher Cadet program, which provides teaching experiences for students interested in becoming teachers.
Moore would be delighted to come back here to teach one day.
After Braiden Sunshine finished performing, he invited Reynolds students to come down and visit with him. Armed with smart phones to get a picture with him, a number of students took him up on the offer. Freshman Keanna Ginyard was one of them.
It all made for a great lunch break, said Ginyard, who was there with freshman friends Phoebe Burrus and Emma Greene.
“He’s amazing,” Burrus said.
Kim Underwood
[email protected]
336.727.2696