The support that the fine arts receive from the Camdenton

The support that the fine arts receive from the Camdenton R-III School District Education Foundation is rare and precious. Artists and non-artists alike, in our community and around the world, recognize the importance of nurturing the whole student, which must include training in artistic creation and expression. The fine arts faculty at Camdenton are universally committed to giving that vision, that song, and that stage to the youth of our community. We believe, as you do, that the intellectual mind of our young people must be coupled with a sense of creativity, community, and cooperation that one can only find in artistic endeavors.

As we help train the future scientists, athletes, teachers, laborers, soldiers, leaders, fathers and mothers of our world, we hold the sincere hope that each can infuse the grand adventure that awaits them with the spark of creativity. As your fine arts faculty, we meet each new day and each new student with the promise of such a gift. As teachers and artists ourselves, it may be the best and truest contribution we can make to our district and our society, and we sincerely thank you for helping us make that happen.

Instruction in the visual arts begins in Kindergarten at Camdenton. Through the early primary years, students are introduced to the most basic of art concepts. By the time students reach third grade, the entirety of the art world is explored. With fifty minutes of instruction per week, and guided by national standards, students are exposed to a curriculum rich in the elements and principles of design. Art at this level is taught comprehensively, and students are asked to build upon their new skills and abilities throughout the courses, and to draw upon their own personal

experiences. It is at this level that students begin to appreciate the interrelation of art and society, how it shaped the past, and how it influences the present. They are taught the connections art has to their core subject areas of math, science, communication arts, and social studies. Some of the media and techniques students use at this level include printmaking, painting, oil pastels, chalk, paper-maché, metal, weaving, clay, and tie-dye. Subject matter and themes such as landscapes, seascapes, still life, and portraits are examined in the elementary art classrooms.

Recently, the Osage Beach Elementary third and fourth graders and their parents were invited to attend the First Annual Fine Arts Fall Festival. Through a collaboration between Mrs. Carnahan (visual arts) and Mrs. Viebrock (music), the students and parents were provided an opportunity to connect and get involved in the Fine Arts program. The students and parents rotated through activities such as: pumpkin painting, face painting, a photo booth, and fall crafts. An art gallery of student work was on display in the gym, along with a “shindig” of square dancing and line dancing.

Fifth and sixth grade art education provides new opportunities for students to explore such media and techniques as tracing, pastels, cut shapes, colored pencil, three dimensional shapes, printmaking, weaving, clay, shading, overlapping, proportion, mask making, and collage. This year, some fifth and sixth grade classes participated in YAM (Youth Art Month) activities at the state capital. Sixth graders also created paper-maché Egyptian vases. Middle School visual art expands on previous experience to take individual artistry to the next level. All previous concepts and techniques are addressed, with a new emphasis on both three-dimensional media and on preparing works for public view and adjudication.

The mission for the studio fine arts program at Camdenton High School is to serve the students of the community by developing whole-brain thinking, development and interpretation of visual literacy, promotion of play, story building, design, creativity, empathy, and development and use of twenty first century skills. Procedures towards these goals are set forth through national, state and local curriculum guidelines in the following courses: Art (I & II), Ceramics (I & II), Drawing (I & II), Painting (I & II), Visual Literacy, Individual Investigation, Portfolio Art, and International Baccalaureate.

The students build what it takes to further both their conceptual and technical skills as well as help their intrinsic motivation. Teachers

Amanda CaineWhitney Carnahan

Gwyn CramerMichelle Livek

Chuck PoeCarrie Schupp

Beth SherrellJayme Shellhorn

provide students with creative and critical thinking skills through the use of play, story building, and design development by having students track the progression of their work through portfolio pages and artist journals. Through the use of portfolio pages and artist journals curriculum is modified, exercised and strengthened. Constant feedback from students helps develop both teachers’ and students’ skills and concepts of self, and is shown through production of artworks and reflective writing. Portfolio pages will give a longitudinal study of students’ work to show their progress. Students can also build a solid portfolio for future opportunities such as further education and scholarship applications.

Exhibitions are also done throughout the year with students showing works of art and participating in several competitions at many locations. Student responsibilities for these shows include the creation of brochures, flyers, artist statements, installations, and tear-down. Students will also gain communication skills through interaction with the public by engaging with them about their work.

Both research and interpretation of art and artists is conducted throughout the student’s whole experience in the studio arts program. To ensure students are continually engaged and given many opportunities to develop and create, they are given more than just class time. Studio days are provided after school Monday through Thursday with the assistance of an art instructor. Open studio provides the students with the means to interact with other students and instructors for further development of ideas to help with motivation, inspiration, and technical skill. The program is flexible and enhances aesthetic experience to foster understanding of self-concept and works of art.

Camdenton is also fortunate to have specialty art areas available to students through the Lake Career and Technical Center. Through the LCTC, students can take courses in photography and graphic design. Emphasis is placed on professionalism and cultivating a personal style. These art classes are also heavily involved in community outreach and public relations on behalf of the school district, service projects, exhibitions

and competitions.

Theatre arts education begins as an elective in the middle school. Students are given their first introduction into performance technique and technical theatre. The Camdenton High School theatre department strives to give students both knowledge and practical performance skills in all of the onstage and backstage areas of theatre. The department does this through its many classes offered, including Theatre Arts: Lighting/Sound and, Theatre Arts: Scenic Construction and Design, in which students work on the current school play and help design and construct all of the its technical aspects. The Family and Consumer Sciences department has classes in clothing and costume design, and construction. Performance oriented students enjoy expressing their creativity in the acting classes, where there is emphasis on all elements of performance and characterization. The curricular classes do not require participation outside of school hours. The department also participates in district contest in the areas of the One Act Play and Reader’s Theatre.

The after school component of the theatre department, The Laker Theatre Company, generally produces three plays each year as well as one musical in the spring.

Since moving into the new high school, the department has been able to involve many more students in production along with a line-up of much more technologically advanced titles. In recent years, the Laker Theatre Company has produced works such as the musical Peter Pan, where several of the performers actually flew over the stage. In Beauty and the Beast, technical theatre students created many special effects and surprises to make the production as professional as possible. The recent production of The Wizard of Oz let the company (along with some flying monkeys) experience one of the most beloved musicals of all time, and involved collaboration with the CHS Choral and Instrumental music departments.

In order to produce these shows on such a grand scale, the Laker Theatre Company involves over a hundred students on set construction and other technical aspects, along with over 80 performers, and an orchestra involving CHS faculty, community members, and students.

The Company continues to engage CHS students with shows that are artistically challenging, and is grateful to the community for its support in attending its productions.

Speech and Debate, like the rest of the Fine Arts at Camdenton, continues a strong tradition of excellence. The team has never finished lower than second as a team at the MSHSAA South‐Central district since 1997, winning the overall title 11 times. Since 2001, Camdenton has qualified 21 students to Nationals, 9 have qualified twice. While awards are nice, the real goal of Camdenton’s program is to provide and hone lifelong skills and confidence.

Tom MartinJo Beth NicklasKirk Richey

Music at Camdenton begins in the elementary with fifty minutes a week of instruction. At this level, students are exposed to age-appropriate analysis of music, study of history and culture related to music, and skills for producing and performing. The curriculum includes the study of pitch, rhythm, pitched and non-pitched instruments, melody, and form. Children utilize xylophones, movement, and singing of both traditional and modern songs. Kindergarten and first grade classes perform a spring program each year that includes movement and drama. Second grade classes not only begin keyboard study, but also perform the annual Christmas musical each December. The third and fourth grade classes also produce a musical program each year, focusing on accuracy of pitch, rhythm, pleasing tone and clarity of text. Overall, music classes are driven by Kodaly and Orff methods

with an emphasis in rhythm and note reading.

Recently, both Osage Beach Elementary and Hurricane Deck have incorporated Franklin Covey’s “Leader in Me” school wide model, which seeks to transform school environments by integrating The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Teaching these habits to children has been shown to increase academic achievement and lower discipline problems. It also increases engagement among students, teachers, and parents.

These music classes use the 7 habits to build skills and leadership as well. Students learn to “Be Proactive” by handling instruments with care and learn to be good listeners. Third grade students learned to “Begin with the End in Mind” and “Synergize” as they wrote and performed original scripts for their Thanksgiving musicals this year. Students included interesting and unusual characters in their Thanksgiving productions. Along with traditional characters such as Pilgrims, Native Americans, and turkeys, students created parts for Spongebob, Star Wars characters, aliens, and even added a Spanish flare with a character at Hurricane Deck known as “Kelly Muchacho!” Audiences were impressed with the imagination, creativity, and humor of the original scripts. Student leaders, dressed in costume, greeted parents and handed out programs for evening performances.

For extra-curricular musical offerings, some students are required to use their recess time twice a week. These students form honor choirs that perform several concerts in school and around the community. Students are also able to perform in other performing groups, such as hand chime ensembles whose members meet on Friday mornings to prepare a Christmas hand chime concert.

In the third and fourth grade classrooms, music is presented in a textbook format. Students spend two quarters learning terms, symbols, and functions of music fundamentals. Vocal performance is also emphasized, with instruction focused on vocal technique, memorization of pitch, rhythm and text. These skills are used to rehearse five or more concert selections. Choreography and narration are also included as part of the performance.

The elementary and intermediate choir program as it is today began several years ago with a ninety-five member third grade honor choir. As the numbers of students involved grew, an honor choir was formed in the fourth grade, and eventually in the fifth and sixth grade levels. This fourth, fifth, and sixth grade choir has been invited to perform twice

Alisha BaurPaul Baur

Cheri BonackerTrent Clayton

Amanda FallMichael Fenn

Annette GreenSteve GreeneAndrea Mack

at the annual Missouri Music Educators Convention, most recently in 2009. Such an invitation is the highest state-wide honor any performing group can receive. The choirs have also performed for various local and state conventions, dignitaries, and St. Louis Cardinals baseball games. Since the realignment of grade levels among buildings, the choirs have split into two distinct groups. The third and fourth grade music students make up the Hawthorn Honor Choir, and were also recently invited to perform at the 2014 MMEA convention. The fifth and sixth grades students form the Camdenton Chorale. In addition to the Camdenton Chorale, there are other music-making opportunities at the intermediate level. Oak Ridge also has an Orff Ensemble that includes traditional Orff instruments, recorders, and synthesizers. They give a fall and spring concert each year. On recorders, students are instructed in the twelve-

bar blues progression and other jazz idioms, and improvisation is encouraged along with traditional note reading. The Oak Ridge Orff Ensemble has also been recently honored by accepting an invitation to perform at the MMEA Conference in January 2012.

Along with all of these music performance endeavors, students are also instructed on keyboards in a class format. The children are taught rhythmic comprehension, note-reading capabilities, and both right and left-hand piano technique.

Students are allowed to begin instrumental music study in seventh grade. Currently the band offers beginning percussion, woodwinds, and brass classes. Students are taught basic instrumental musicianship using method books and beginning band literature. The eighth grade band advances quickly to include not only continued musical and technical study, but of the performance more demanding literature. Seventh grade students perform publicly twice a year, with two spring concerts. The eighth grade performs at least five times a year, culminating in their debut marching performance in the Dogwood Parade.

At the high school level, the instrumental music curriculum offers our approximately two-hundred band students as many opportunities as possible while striking a balance among different aspects of playing. Our two concert bands are the focus of instruction, and they combine before school to form the Pride of the Lake Marching Band. In late fall, two extra-curricular jazz bands form to round out the program. To complement our other ensemble opportunities, we also offer a basketball pep band. The high school band curriculum is designed to be rigorous and musically demanding. Through our various groups, we take pride in consistently emphasizing a high standard of personal and performance excellence. Our bands, student small ensembles, and soloists are consistent award winners. The marching band has won major festivals across the state, and placed in the top five at the Greater St. Louis Marching Band Festival for four years in a row. The Symphonic Band and Concert Band consistently receive “Superior” and “Excellent” ratings at State Large Ensemble Contest. Each year, several small ensembles and soloists qualify for the State Solo and Ensemble Contest, held in Columbia, on the campus of the University of Missouri. Last year, the Camdenton Laker Basketball Band was selected to be the featured performance group for the Show-Me Showdown State Basketball Championships in Columbia on the campus of the University of Missouri. The music department also offers a semester-long college level music theory class, and a year-long intensive music history and literature class as a part of the International Baccalaureate curriculum.

The motto for the middle school and high school choral programs is “Camdenton Choirs – The Voice of Excellence.” Excellence is the standard for which our choirs constantly strive. The Camdenton secondary choral program currently consists of approximately three-hundred fifty students in grades seven through twelve. The instructors have implemented a rigorous curriculum to develop proper vocal technique and musical skills. The choirs perform three concerts each year and produce the Renaissance Yuletide Feastes biennially. Students involved in the choral programs have consistently placed in the Central District Missouri Music Educators Association All-District Choirs, the Missouri All-State Choir, the American Choral Directors Association National and Divisional Honor Choirs, and the Missouri Fine Arts Academy. All of the high school choirs have consistently earned “Superior” ratings at the State Large Ensemble Festival. Recent performances have included trips to the western Caribbean, Georgia, and Tennessee.

“My experience with the Fine Arts program at Camdenton made my high school career. My experience in the band helped shape the person I am today. I am a more disciplined, hardworking and responsible person because of the lessons I learned as a member of the Pride of the Lake Marching Band.”

Kristi Patrickus ‘11Music Education Major

Missouri State University - Springfield, MO

“My experience with band at CHS was wonderful. I had to work hard - I won’t soon forget what it was like to be awake at 5:30am and wishing I could freeze time to get more sleep before marching practice - but it was worth every minute. Band gave me deep friendships, happy memories, and abundant self-confidence.”

Jeremy Schlatter ‘07Computer Science

Washington University - St. Louis, MOFreelance software developer

Silicon Valley, CA

“Every activity I was involved in shaped me into the artist I am today, and I am so grateful for the opportunities I was given to find my passion. The department that had the largest impact on my life was Drama. Mrs. Nicklas showed me a world of creativity that I didn’t know existed. The musicals and plays in which I had the chance to perform were my ultimate emotional outlet. They were the place I felt most at home and most free. I’m finding my place in the Kansas City theatrical community, and plan to go back to school to pursue my teaching certification. I want to teach Drama and coach Speech and Debate at the high school level. I want to help students find the same hope and

passion I found in the arts at Camdenton High School.”

Tabitha Joy Carroll ‘08Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Performance

The American Musical and Dramatic Academy ‘11Actor - Kansas City, MO

“It is hard for me to express the extent to which I am thankful for the fine arts educators and programs at Camdenton. Though as a student I placed a great deal of time and energy into my academic pursuits, there is no doubt in my mind that my high school years were defined by the arts. To be exceptionally brief, my time in theatre taught me more than my younger self cared to accept at the time - about the necessity of faith and patience when it comes to discovering your perfect “role.” As for the band program, never has such a beautiful medium as music taught someone so elegantly about leadership, dedication, and personal determination. I am at a loss to imagine my life without these avenues and wish only that there were a way to truly voice my unending gratitude to those who lead

me through them.”Sierra Jay ‘10

Double Major in French and Global StudiesMissouri State University - Springfield, MO

Dual Diploma – International Business and FrenchUniversité Blaise-Pascal, Vichy, France

“Being involved in the music department during high school was highly important to my experience. As one of the student leaders of such a large group, I was able to develop leadership skills that I could not have learned elsewhere. Among all my extracurricular activities, music served to be one of the most rewarding experiences as I saw just how my hard work

and practice paid off.”Victoria Robinson ‘13

Double Major in Mathematics and FinanceDrury University – Springfield, MO

“My experience in the fine arts at Camdenton made me who I am today. It gave me the confidence to be in front of an audience, taught me the value of contributing to a community, and instilled a hard work

ethic in me that has prepared me for life in the real world.”Anthony Brownell ‘09

Truman State University ‘13Bachelor of Arts in Communication Disorders and a Minor in Linguistics

Institut Jazykového Vzdělávání (Institute of Language Education)Prague, Czech Republic

“Throughout my tenure at Camdenton I was deeply involved with the band program. Music is my life’s passion, and it is my goal to share that love with the next generation, carrying on this wonderful and irreplaceable art form. Thank you for putting an instrument in my hand and opening the door to an entirely new world of

opportunity and beauty.”Austin Jay ‘07

Bachelor of Music EducationMissouri State University - Springfield, MO

Graduate Assistant in Wind ConductingUniveristy of Arkansas - Fayetteville, AR

“The Camdenton art department meant everything to me. It was a place that encouraged and pushed everyone to achieve their potential, creating a

beautiful environment. “Kasey Schaumberg ‘13Major in Social Work

University of Missouri - Columbia, MO

“In my time at Camdenton High School the art department literally became my home. The classroom was my house and my classmates were my family. We had such a tight knit community where I felt comfortable, safe and free from judgement, it became my sanctuary to run to during tough times. Whenever I has having a stressful day, I knew that next period I could forget about all of that and focus on creating and inspiring others, which are the things that give me the most joy in life. In my time at Camdenton High School, almost every great memory I have is being with my art family and learning how to better myself as a person and an artist.”

Morgan Bigge ‘13Art Major

Missouri State University - Springfield, MO