By KAYLA J. MARSH
Staff Writer
Since 1969, the Arts & Education Center has been a leader in recognizing the need for quality arts education in the public school system.
At the Arts & Education Center, arts education is seen as a basic component of every child’s education, and the center helps students get a deeper understanding of who they are and the world around them, while allowing them to hone and improve upon their talents.
In 1980, the Arts & Education Center created New Jersey’s first countywide arts education pullout program called Arts High School.
“This program started in Middlesex County and provides gifted and talented students an opportunity to work with professionals in the field, to be with their peers and gain a really great experience,” said Anthony Petito, executive and artistic director of the Arts & Education Center.
“Every one of our teachers has so much experience in their respective fields … and it challenges students and gives them an opportunity to find out about the field and see what it is like in true life.”
In January 2004, the Arts & Education Center launched an Arts High School for Monmouth County students, and in 2010 an Arts High School program opened for Ocean County students.
According to Petito, students in grades nine through 12 from multiple school districts in each county audition to be accepted into the program.
If accepted, the students are released from their respective schools one day a week for 14 weeks and bused to a central location for weekly courses, including creative writing/poetry, modern dance, music composition, instrumental music/jazz ensemble, vocal music/classical, vocal music/musical theater, theater arts, visual arts/painting and drawing and visual arts/photography.
The Arts & Education Center is located at 154 Main St., Suite 102 in Matawan. Locations students can be bused to for their courses include Stelton Community Center at 328 Plainfield Avenue in Edison; Middlesex County College at 2600 Woodbridge Avenue in Edison; Neptune High School at 55 Neptune Boulevard in Neptune; Linwood Middle School at 25 Linwood Place in North Brunswick; Ocean County College in Toms River; Henry Hudson High School at 1 Grand Tour in Highlands; Brookdale Community College in Lincroft and North Brunswick Township High School.
Arts High School classes are held from January to May and some can even be taken for college credit.
“We have a very high caliber of students,” Petito said. “We are very proud of them, and I am constantly amazed at their abilities.”
To provide more students with the opportunity to become involved and learn about the world of fine and performing arts, the Arts & Education Center established a program for students in lower grade levels.
The Middlesex County Arts Middle School program was added in 1994 for children in sixth, seventh and eighth grades.
An Arts Middle School program was launched for students in Monmouth County in January 2007.
The Arts Middle School program runs for 12 weeks beginning in February.
“These programs are about helping students find out who they are,” Petito said.
“Many times students can feel that they are different or don’t belong, and it is great to see them in an environment where they feel comfortable interacting with peers who have the same interests and see them learn that they are not alone and are gifted and talented in a good way.”
As part of the program, students get to showcase what they have learned throughout their time in the Arts High School and Arts Middle School program through a variety of avenues.
One of those avenues includes an exhibit that goes to libraries throughout Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties and features the artworks of students from the area.
Paintings, drawings and photographs created by 43 Monmouth County Arts High and Arts Middle School students last year will be on display at the Colts Neck Public Library, 1 Winthrop Drive, and Fair Haven Public Library, 748 River Road, during the month of April.
“Basically we have three exhibitions going on throughout the year and it is a collection of all students’ work from individuals who participated last year,” Petito said. “The teachers select them, and it truly is the best of the best and shows all of what our students do and learn throughout their time with us.”
A similar exhibit will be held in April at the Woodbridge Public Library’s Fords Branch and the Piscataway Public Library’s JFK Branch for Middlesex County residents to enjoy and at the Plumstead Public Library for Ocean County residents.
According to Petito, while many graduates of the programs don’t go on to careers in the arts, he said an arts education enriches their lives and impacts them no matter what field they decide to enter.
“These students are coming together with others like them from all over,” he said. “They get to work with an accomplished teacher and professional in their field and get to learn from each other as well.
“This is truly a gifted-and-talented program that allows kids to come together in a very special kind of learning place [and] it helps their academics, self-assurance, expression and creativity.”
For more information on the Monmouth County Arts High or Arts Middle School programs, call 732-566-2787, email [email protected], or visit www.artshigh.net.