Schools

FOCUS 2013 Showcases Paths for Aspiring Artists

Featuring musicians, writers, make up artists and circus performers, FOCUS on the Arts 2013 showed Highland Park students the many opportunities available to aspiring artists.

It took me one hour to walk from one end of Highland Park High School to another last Friday afternoon.

On my way, I stumbled into an a cappella performance and a beat boxing and drum performance before finally arriving in room A217 for a discussion by Ravinia Festival's Student Advisory Board about bringing classical music to high schoolers.

Then, while making my way back to where I'd first walked in, I caught the beginning of Big Top HP -- a woman hanging from a hula hoop high above the high school's auditorium.

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You may have figured out at this point that this was no ordinary school day. It was no ordinary week, either. It was FOCUS on the Arts.

"It's amazing to see what goes on there," said Nancy Karp, who worked on communications for this year's weeklong celebration of the arts. Highlights of the event for her included the big things like Dance Night and Art Night, as well as the more intimate aspects, like seeing someone teach students how to put on make up for theater performances.

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"What the kids tend to take out of it, I hope, is that there are so many things you don't even know about that people are doing with their lives," Karp said. "It's kind of mind blowing."

Check out photos from the week above, which come courtesy of Sam Levitan, who donated his time to Highland Park High School.

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