The deadline to apply for the Franklin Arts Academy (FAA), February 1, is right around the corner, but many are still on the fence about applying, or isn’t sure what FAA is.
“FAA is a school within the school,” Mrs. Waters, who teaches theater to FAA and non-FAA students, told me “It is a hands on project based learning environment.”
FAA came to Franklin high three years ago and was intended for students who think creatively.
“It’s not just all about art,” junior FAA student, Jessica Lambiase said “but, every thing is circled around art and that makes it better for me and others who like that.”
The Arts Academy isn’t just for students who want to pursue arts education in collage.
“It is a great environment just to increase your creativity even if you are not going into art related fields” said Ms. Hogan, art teacher and FAA director.
People interested in visual arts, such as painting, can join FAA; there are also musicians and actors who are also enrolled.
FAA can help all types of students get their work known both inside and outside of school.
“We’er having two capstone nights at the end of the year” Ms. Hogan told me “Students can show their film works, they can show their one act plays, they can show their visual art work, they can preform music”
“We can also take student work to a gallery in Foxboro, Patriots Place Gallery” Ms. Hogan continued. “We encourage students to go to outside music performance options to preform in front of a live audiences”
Students work on a lot of in school projects in their different academic classes. For example, one FAA english class took plays and made them into radio shows. They added fun sound effects and learned about post production editing while also learning about the plays. The class worked in groups, something that these students enjoy.
“We get to work together” senior FAA student Christina Ditmore said “Everybody is really passionate about the arts and so we get to feed off each others abilities which is really good”
Those who are new to Franklin High might wonder how to apply.
“You have to fill out an application and submit a piece of art, wether it be music, fine art, or a theater piece” Lambiase told me “then you have to write an essay about why you want to be in FAA or why you wan to be an artist”
Applications can be found in guidance. If you have any questions ask your guidance counselor or see Ms. Hogan.
“It’s worth trying” continued Lambiase “Anybody who even thinks about it should apply and you can always drop out of it if you decide you don’t like it; if you don’t like it, you don’t like it.”