Student Artists Take Center Stage in Annual District Showcase

While activities like sports and music are often placed at the forefront, there are rarely opportunities for talented artists to have their moment in the spotlight. 

However, each April the South Brunswick School District highlights the work from the top artists of all ages as part of the annual Student Art Gallery.

"It's amazing when you see the level of sophistication from the youngest elementary school students," said Superintendent Gary McCartney. "Then you go up and look at what the high school kids are doing and you just stand back in wonderment. All of these kids just have enormous talent."

The event, held on Wednesday, showcases the work of the best and brightest art students from each school in the district. Inside the annex gym at South Brunswick High School, artwork lined each wall from the floor to high above. In the middle of the room were dozens of displays with hundreds of pieces from students in kindergarten all the way to the high school, using various mediums.

The amount of work that goes into putting the gallery together is extensive for district staff, teachers and SBHS custodians. The art teachers work from morning through the evening setting up the work from their students, with up to 200 pieces from some schools, depending on the size of the classes.

"It's really painstaking and it's so hard to choose the best of the best," said Greenbrook and Dayton art teacher Jennifer Kipnis. "But it's a labor of love. We just love seeing the results and doing this every year, as much work as it is."

With the enormous amount of planning that goes into arranging hundreds of works of art, high praise was given to Assistant Superintendent Joanne Kerekes, Supervisor Kristin Laskin and Administrative Secretary Regina Barbely, among others.

"The planning time takes countless hours," said SBHS Principal Peter Varela. "We start talking about next year's gallery right when this one is broken down. It gets better each year. All of the talent you see put together makes us really proud as a district."

As part of a special afternoon showcase for senior citizens, choral students from SBHS sang a few numbers to combine the differing mediums.

"This is a great show with the collaboration from the music department to showcase their talent," Varela said. "When you put music and art together, something special happens and it's a true collaboration."

Dr. McCartney pointed to the benefit younger students receive from having their work displayed alongside middle school and high school students as inspiration to push them to work harder and reach higher from a very young age.

"When we help these kids to develop, highlight their work, and put it up on display for everyone to see, it makes them want to do it again," he said. "The art gallery energizes these kids by putting them in the spotlight. You come here at night and you see all these kids pulling their parents over to see their work. The gallery shows that our teachers are a special lot, when you see the unique ways these kids have learned to express themselves. It's a wonderful opportunity for these students."

Staff members said the lift that young artists receive from having a night devoted to them is something that stays with them throughout their time in the district, as they're driven to new heights in creative expression from elementary school to middle school and onto the high school level.

"It's just such a confidence booster for these kids," Kipnis said. "They're always so excited for people to see their work and to see their friends work every year."