The fine arts are a big part of Northtown culture. Whether it is a visual art, theater, orchestra, band, or choir, many students at the school take part in a form of fine art. Over the summer, five students from Northtown were selected to participate in the Missouri Fine Arts Academy: seniors Ian DeWalt, Juliana Garcia, Kyra Manlove, Dodge Wasinger, and Julie Youngers.

The Missouri Fine Arts Academy is a three-week summer residential program that takes place at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. The students are selected by entry. The entry includes an application, with either a portfolio/audition video, student evaluation form, or an essay, depending on which category the entry is for, and is then reviewed by a panel of artists and adjudicators.

“I felt like it was a really prestigious event, so I felt flattered to have been chosen for something like that,” said senior Juliana Garcia on being accepted into the visual arts part of the program.

There are five categories in the program that students can participate in: Visual arts, theatre, dance, creative writing, and music. However, some of these categories branch off into different classes.

“The whole experience was very perspective changing,” said senior Dodge Wasinger, who participated in the program for instrumental music. “They teach you how to think and not what to think.”

“Even if you don’t learn much, you get to meet others, and you feel really free. There’s no judgment.” Juliana Garcia said.

After successfully completing the program, the students participating earn 3 credit hours towards college credit, which is generally transferable to any college or university program.

“I would definitely recommend it to people who want to learn more about themselves, or how the fine arts impacts life.” Said Dodge Wasinger.

The entry for the program begins in December and ends in mid-March. The students who are selected for the program receive their letters of invitation in March. The program takes place from June 7^th to June 25^th.

“I loved the community a lot, everyone was great,” senior Ian DeWalt said. “I think overall what I liked the most was how it got me thinking about the purpose of art in general, and more specifically, what art is.”