Northwood boasts a variety of Visual and Performing Arts classes, with everything from drama to screenprinting. In these classes, you’ll get the opportunity to learn from the best and form lasting friendships with your peers. But don’t take it from me, hear about Northwood’s VAPA program from the artists themselves.

Kathryn Sun (11) – Technical Theater

I’m part of the lighting crew, and I’m also assistant technical director, so I kind of oversee and overlook all the other crews. I met a lot of really cool people through working on “Theory of Relativity,” and I made a lot of memories during that production. Joining tech seems a bit daunting at first, but you’ll really grow a community with it. It’s a lot of work. It’s a lot of time commitment. So be ready to be at school for hours and hours on end, but the payoff is really worth it. A lot of people think that tech is overlooked in the background, and I think that it’s important to notice that we do a lot for these productions. I’ve met some of the most amazing people at Northwood through tech, and they sometimes don’t get as appreciated as they should be. 

Kira Matsuoka (10) – Visual Arts

Art meant a lot to me, especially when I was struggling with depression and anxiety. It gave me time to express myself because it was the first time that I could paint whatever I wanted. Mrs. Rohrs creates a very open environment for students to socialize. I talked to my friends about my emotions, politics, philosophy, things like that. It got me to realize there are other people like me and it opened up my world. Art connected me to the best people and most welcoming people in my life. It’s honestly changed my life. I know it’s a tough choice with all of the difficult classes, but you’re taking so many classes, so might as well take something that you love, right?

Ronith Anand (9) – Vocal Music

I remember when we had our first concert. I had a solo, so that was cool. It was kind of nerve-wracking but fun. Being in choir has helped me gain a lot more confidence to talk to people more. I’ve also learned just to be a lot nicer to people, to respect everyone. If you want to join choir, just go for it. It’s a really fun thing to do, and you’re probably going to have a lot of fun in it.

Sophia Yang (9) – Dance

When I heard there was dance at Northwood, I just really wanted the opportunity to express myself through dance and learn and bond with other dancers. The shows are always a good experience because I get to see the works and the choreography of other students. I also really enjoyed the couple of bonding days we had with Dance Theater before school even started where I got to meet everyone, and everyone was just really welcoming and nice. A lot of people don’t want to do dance because they think they can’t dance or they don’t know how to, but you should join. No matter your level, everyone starts out somewhere, and through dance you can learn and find out what you do enjoy.