With art, music and cooking demonstrations, Edgewood Middle School's third annual "Evening With the Arts" offered a little of everything for fine arts lovers.
"It just keeps getting bigger every year," said art teacher Sherri Johnson during the event Thursday afternoon. "It's a well-attended event."As in the past two years, artwork by students was on display. Students in the advanced art classes gave demonstrations on various art techniques from pencil drawings to ceramics and papier-maché.
Emily Williamson and Kelly Wildman were busy making a papier-maché Mickey Mouse piñata. Williamson said they learned how to do papier-maché in class initially, but now can do it on their own. Both middle school students said the arts event Thursday night was a good way to support the arts. Wildman said she especially liked having the demonstrations while the music was being performed in the background.
Providing the music was the school's choirs and jazz band. Dan Beam directed the choirs as they sang various songs like "Praise His Name" in the commons. Nearby, the school's jazz band played several sets.
Eighth-grader and choir member Tyler Brown said the evening was "pretty fun" and that he was a little nervous singing on stage in front of the crowd.
In addition to the arts, industrial technology projects also were on display. Parents, friends and classmates could check out seventh-grade students' race cars or rockets.
Eighth-grader industrial arts students started constructing a 20-foot by 24-foot storage building in the fall. Due to weather, the students had to put off the work until recently. The storage building will be used by the school. While working on the building as their big project, teacher Nick Walenga said the eighth-grade students had other projects to learn from, too.
Students in Edith Rohrer's and Judi Servies' Family and Consumer Sciences II classes held cooking demonstrations during the two-hour event. Samples of Smoothies or Microwave Broasted Potatoes were provided to anyone who wanted to try them. Copies of the recipes were provided.
"They're having a blast," said Rohrer of the students giving the cooking demonstrations.
Rohrer said the soy bean milk and the brochures available at the table were donated by the Soy Bean Alliance of Indiana.
Near the cooking demonstrations were beach bags and pillows made by the FACS I and II students.
To learn about entrepreneurship, the advanced art students sold fused glass pieces, Johnson said. The student artist keeps 75 percent of the profit, with the balance going into the class fund to purchase glass for future projects.
Raffle tickets also were sold. The proceeds went to the Kailey Zehr Memorial Scholarship Fund, said Johnson. The glass bowl for the raffle was created by advanced art student Tiffany Johnson.
As parents and other patrons walked into the school, a program was offered. The cover was designed by winning student Nicole Brackett. For her design, she received a gift certificate.
Edgewood Principal JoElla Smyth said the "Evening with the Arts" was great because it is kids demonstrating the fine arts. Hundreds of people attended to see the expanded demonstrations and displays of art. Smyth even took her daughter to the event, she said, to show her all that she can do in the fine arts.
People come watch athletic events, but they don't always get to see their students doing academics, Smyth said. The evening's event lets them.
