Congratulations to Fullerton High School’s dedicated and talented arts students who performed March 8 at the Arts Assembly which hopefully will become an annual tradition.
Double second-period assemblies in the newly constructed gym have been great, but the bleachers and scoreboards definitely emphasize our athletic achievements rather than our artistic talents. The gym floor and lighting is great for cheer performances and ASB rallies, but the Historic Auditorium allowed performers to really shine in their own space. It also allowed tech students in charge of lights and sound to display their talents.
The pandemic and construction upgrades have prevented many students from enjoying the beautiful building and comfy chairs. The seating area in the auditorium is called the house, and last week was a great opportunity for the audience to appreciate a great show in their own house.
The positive energy transcended the auditorium walls. Throughout break and into third period, students were praising their classmates for their performances.
The Tribe Tribune spoke to a few students about the show. Sophomore Ryann McLeran said, “I feel like the assembly was more enthusiastic in the auditorium, and it was an especially great way to celebrate the arts.”
Sophomore cheerleader Janessa Torres, like many athletes, was happy to enjoy an assembly as an audience member. “As a cheerleader, you have to go through the stress of planning, so this time I felt like I was able to sit back and enjoy,” she said.
It was amazing to see Dance Production showcase a more contemporary piece compared to their hip-hop dances used to hype up the crowd during other assemblies.
From a performer’s perspective, Dance Production sophomore Kennedy Molino welcomed the change in venue. “The overall stage presence feels so much more intense and serious, but in an exhilarating way,” Molino said, “and the performance in the auditorium feels more about celebrating our program.”
The Tribe Tribune applauds the timing of the assembly as well. The Dance Production performance will be staged at their upcoming concert and the theater students’ performance of “Cell Block Tango” was a perfect teaser to encourage students to attend the spring musical Chicago in April. Again, it’s great to get excited about the next big game at a pep rally, but with 50 students participating in the musical, they’ve earned a big shoutout, too.
The showcase was an apt salute to Arts in Our Schools Month which celebrates arts education across California. The event was made possible by the students on the Arts Leadership Council board, who started planning the assembly during the summer. Under the guidance of music director Troy Trimble, the students were in charge of scripting, organizing, and managing facilities to make the assembly happen.
Specifically, the Tribe Tribune would like to thank Mr. Trimble and the student board members Brooke Bredow, Amelia Burns, Ava Casas, Sofia Crail, Finley Danson, Paloma Dowdle, Cole Frausto, Evelyn Ishikawa, Chase McFarland, Sydney Parker and Katherine Timmerman. They organized and set up this entire assembly; without them this event wouldn’t have been possible.
Hundreds of students participate in our six visual and performing arts pathways at Fullerton High School, and Friday gave nearly 1,800 students a glimpse of how awesome these art programs can be. Hopefully a few in the audience were inspired to take an extra arts elective next year.
But even if you’re not creating art yourself, the showcase demonstrated that students can appreciate all types of art. Go to the Gallery 201 shows. Go to the dance concert, the choir concert, the instrumental concert. Go see Chicago.
Support your school. Support your classmates. Let’s show school officials that efforts to promote programs beyond sports can really work.
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