While Spring at Flint Hill looks a bit different to everyone, most of us can agree that the season holds a few defining events to close out the year. While students have ISL and MAC Finals, exams, and the Spring Musical to look ahead to, one of the biggest annual events took place just earlier this month: Arts Jam.
Arts Jam, our annual celebration of Flint Hill’s performing arts that takes place at George Mason University in Fairfax, was, per usual, a hit. With hundreds of kids performing and contributing to the show, the night of April 8th was a wild bash of celebration and fun for everyone involved. Standing at the culmination of each respective performing art class, Arts Jam is a great opportunity for students to showcase what they have been working on all year. Not only does Arts Jam provide an opportunity for young artists to share what they have been pursuing throughout the year, but the event location at George Mason opens up performers to new experiences, introducing them to a 1000+ seat theater, a professional team of stage managers, lighting staff, and directors.
While this experience is special for all involved, what best illustrates the power of Arts Jam is the students experiences and accounts. Sophomore Grace Dean, an avid member of the Concert Choir, shared her experience as an Arts Jam participant, saying “I love Arts Jam because it’s the climax of Concert Choir! We look forward to it all year and are always so excited to present what we have been working on! I also just love being with other students whom I don’t talk to often. Bonding happens all throughout the event between fellow arts jam participants and even with teachers who come to support!”
Dean’s love for this special day is a common feeling across students from various arts departments and classes. Junior Julia Murphy, a singer in Symphonic Choir and vocalist in the award-winning acapella group the Major Minors, shared some additional insight, “I love Arts Jam because it brings together all of the performing arts into one space. It lets us collaborate and grow as a larger community and also allows the community to experience the full scope of the arts program in one amazing concert.”
On a personal note, as an active participant in Arts Jam, from first-hand experience, I agree that the event is everything above and more! While parents and friends attend the event to hear good music and experience a dazzling performance, Arts Jam is so much more than a one-night exhibition. It allows students to come together and revel in the rewards of hard work, dedication, and the ambitious pursuit of the magic that comes with good art.
The arts are a critical part of the Flint Hill community, and through Arts Jam, they are given a time to shine. This performance is more than a one-night show; it stands as a reminder of the importance of celebrating the multifaceted identity that is the Flint Hill performing arts program.
