Students from band, orchestra, marching band, chorus, a capella, photography and other art electives took the stage for the Celebrate the Arts assembly on Friday, Dec. 13.

This yearly occasion gives art students the chance to present their talent and creative expression to the student body. “Wootton is a unique school where the arts have been supported through this event for at least 25 years. I would say that it is a ‘Wootton Tradition,’” band and orchestra co-director Carolyn Herman said.

The assembly was split into two sets of performances throughout the day, which gave both students and staff the unique opportunity to witness a variety of talents across the art department as art students performed for their peers. “A lot of the school has many different commitments outside of school, so we like this event because it gives us a chance to perform for more people than the performances we already do,” chorus and a capella teacher Keith Schwartz said.

In addition to the high school audience, students and staff from both Frost and Cabin John Middle Schools were able to attend the assembly and observe the art department’s talents firsthand. “Celebrate the Arts was an incredible event. The combination of the fantastic concert with lots of fun created a vibrant atmosphere filled with energy and joy,” Herman said.

There were a total of three assemblies throughout the day, and planning such a large event requires the collaboration of the entire department staff. “With the other art teachers, we hold several meetings to plan the order of performances, the logistics and the schedule for the day. We reflect on what we did in previous years, as we always want to make this year ‘the best Celebrate the Arts ever,’ so we discuss what went well last year and what didn’t go as well to plan for the event,” Herman said.

This extensive preparation resulted in an enjoyable experience for both the audience and the art students who performed. “I had fun during the assembly. Getting to play music and dance with my friends is a blessing. My favorite part was seeing the crowd’s reaction. As an extrovert, I’m energized by others, and seeing them enjoy our performance honestly makes me feel so happy,” senior Christian Smithson said.

Through these assemblies, the art department aims to inspire the audience to participate in the various arts electives available and to support the arts groups. “I hope that the audience has a greater understanding of what we do in singing classes at Wootton and will hopefully come to our concerts, competitions and performances to support our groups and their friends in the groups. I also hope students will see that chorus classes have all different types of students and that anyone can be successful in them. If they are looking for an elective class, I hope the performances inspire them to try singing,” Schwartz said.

Moreover, the department hopes to emphasize the importance of art to the student body. “We hope the assemblies inspired a sense of creativity and possibility, reminding everyone, especially students, that the arts are not just performances, but a vital way to explore identity, celebrate diversity and build community,” Herman said.

This sentiment is not only shared by the art teachers, but by students as well who hope to share the joy of artistic expression with other people. “I hope the audience realizes how fun music is, and how much joy it brings into the lives of others. Music gives us a reason to smile, band together and just enjoy life, and I really hope they saw that,” Smithson said.