By: Kara Dicker
What happens when two art educators get together wearing their dream hats? Spoiler alert -it’s a pretty rich opportunity for student artists.
Beginning next month, area high school students will have the opportunity through Heartland Art Club to prepare for the rigors of Advanced Placement Art & Design, the pinnacle of most high school art programs.
Billed as a summer prep course for Advanced Placement Art & Design, this new course is the brainchild of HAC Director Mary Drastal and board member Stacey McAdams, who serves on the education committee. “We’re looking at this class as a bootcamp that will introduce them to the curriculum,” McAdams said.
Students will receive 18 hours of instruction, broken into six three-hour sessions on Tuesdays beginning July 9. The cost of the course is $450., with scholarships available. The fee includes art supplies valued at $150.
The course, limited to 12 students, is designed to allow for one-on-one instruction. Drastal and McAdams, both art educators, will teach the course. Additionally, guest artists will visit each week to assist in specific aspects of the instruction, which will begin with basic design principles before moving into the more advanced concepts of ideation and synthesis. One of McAdams’ former students, who is studying art at St. Louis University, will visit on the last week for a question-and-answer session.
“Most AP courses have tons of prep courses,” McAdams said. “Art is not one of them.” McAdams knows the curriculum well, having taught AP Art & Design in the Rockwood School District. She explained that the requirements of the portfolio, which emphasize process as well as product, along with a rigorous written portion, can be overwhelming for young art students. “I saw a lot of students really struggle.”
McAdams said she and Drastal envisioned the course to fill the preparation void. “We kind of had that shared passion for younger artists,” McAdams said.
Drastal, who holds a master’s degree in gifted art education curriculum design, founded and taught the Summer Art’s Institute at Maryville University and gifted art programs in Ladue and Mehlville school districts. “Heartland Art Club has offered outstanding workshops and classes to adults for five years,” Drastal said. “We look forward to filling the need for enrichment programs geared for the high school student.”
McAdams wrote the curriculum, which was driven by Missouri standards, and applied for a grant through the Missouri Arts Council. “Grants are very curriculum-based,” McAdams said. “I took the AP curriculum and pulled the basic standards.” Drastal, who helped steer the process, contacted area schools to promote the course. “Mary has been incredible,” McAdams said. “We’ve been meeting every week since April. She’s been the ultimate support.”
As a pilot program, McAdams said she is excited to see how far the students will go. “It’s a lot to learn in six weeks,” she said. McAdams added that she would like to be able to offer the students an exhibition opportunity once they have completed the AP program at their school. “Going forward I would love to offer additional opportunities for young artists.”