Since 2012, York Suburban High School has offered a unique art course designed for students with varying artistic abilities. Art Appreciation is a fun yet informative course offered as both a regular elective or CHS course where students explore art history, criticism, and aesthetics.
Available only to seniors, Art Appreciation is designed to expand students’ knowledge of the historical and artistic movements behind paintings, drawings, sculptures, and more. To further improve their learning experience, students make their own art projects to coordinate with the topic(s) taught in class.
If students choose to take the CHS course through York College, they will be able to earn 3 college credits, transferable to most colleges in Pennsylvania.
Aside from the opportunity to earn college credits, CHS Art Appreciation will be no different from Art Appreciation; students will be taught in the same room and follow the same curriculum.
Karen Fornadel, teacher of Art Appreciation, said, “It is a great course to take if you’re planning to go to college because if you take an art-based course [in high school], it makes that course a lot easier [in college]. And if you take it through York College, you’re walking away with three credits. It can open you to the world of art that you never knew about.”
Because Art Appreciation is a college-level course, students are given a very special learning experience that trumps most high school art electives. Students will take a trip to the National Art Gallery in Washington, D.C., and write a paper about what they learned upon their return to school.
Some of the media students will explore includes painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, and sculpture.
Grades consist of showing an understanding of what’s being taught, participating in class discussion, responding to artwork, and managing assignments. Students will also keep a journal for reflection.
Unlike some of the more specific art classes, Art Appreciation is available to any senior who is interested, whether they are experienced or not. The focus of this course is simply to promote gratitude and understanding of art.
With art electives growing smaller each year, teachers are desperate to keep the passion for art alive. Art Appreciation is a great stepping stone for any senior, especially for those headed toward a career in art. Teachers hope this course will perhaps open new doors for otherwise uninterested students, as well as establish a foundation for potential art majors.
2015 Art Appreciation class visiting a York College gallery Photo by: Karen Fornadel