This month’s column is all about us! For Kingston High School’s Fine Arts Boosters column, June is all about nostalgia, because we run on the school year. Looking back on 2011-12 (it’s a wrap!) there are amazing details we need to share with you, our loyal readers. Word on the street is that you really get into knowing the incredible spotlighted arts students via this column. Now, know more about us.
Under the leadership of Mary and Tom Montgomery and volunteer sons Jeremy and Dylan, FABulous FAB did the following this school year:
– Contributed toward 20 AP fees in visual arts.
– Supported debate team and band transportation to tournaments and competitions (see the photo of the four debaters who went to Nationals in Baltimore).
– Awarded two senior scholarships to Amanda Holbrook, choir, and Forrest Taylor, visual arts
– Awarded three visual arts prizes to Morgan Honshke, painter; Nick Stevens, potter; and Dylan Taylor, photographer at the Shakespeare Festival and Senior Showcase.
– Provided concessions at arts and sports events.
– Featured eight FAB artists of the month here in this column, in the Buccaneer Broadcast (online) and at Kingston Rotary meetings.
– Supported the arts teacher’s professional development and student clinics and workshops.
– Advocated for the arts with NKSD and allied with students when asked.
– Promoted arts events to the community — plays, concerts, debates, festivals.
– Connected community artists with KHS art programs.
We do this by raising funds (our disbursements were $3,550) and also by being there as debate judges, letter writers, ticket promoters, connections to the Kingston community including art supply donors, and by being allies with arts students and teachers. For all of the above FAB was presented an award “In appreciation of FAB’s Dedication to the Advancement of Arts Education.” We were chosen by the students and staff of NKSD and we received this at the district wide Festival of the Arts in May. How cool is this? The representative from the state Department of Public Instruction said she thinks FAB is unique in our state.
Our generous 10 corporate sponsors joined with our members to do all this: Artists’ Edge, attorneys Beebe, Roberts and Bryan, Borrowed Kitchen Bakery, Crab Creek Review, Eagle Harbor Books, Front Street Gallery, Hill Family Fireworks, Mirracole Morsels Bakery, Pacific Eyecare and Optical, and Snippers Barber Shop. Dorothy at Snippers is the first to re-up for 2012-13!
First teacher to respond is Ms. MacKinnon and first community residents are the Chessmans. We are off to a great new year!
Kingston High School arts students need us! We need them! We just can’t let NKSD budget priorities leave behind the creative and talented students in debate (a performance art), drama, music and visual arts. We need you!
Because you live or work in North Kitsap, and/or have arts students in your family or neighborhood, you are FAB! A community cannot thrive without its artists, and our KHS artists are our creative future. This total volunteer effort needs your energy, ideas and support. The arts students benefit directly.
Let us know your interest at lidenbode@aol.com. We will send you a membership form. In the meantime, a new crop of featured artists is moving into their roles and we can hardly wait to see who emerges into the FAB Spotlight.
