2022 marks the end of the Arts Magnet Program at BHS
"I hope that they're able to find other creative ways to express yourself, but overall, nothing will compare to what Arts Magnet was."
The Arts Magnet Program will end its 18 year existence at BHS at the end of this school year. The program, which infused art into core classes and attracted students to Buffalo from around the Twin Cities Metro Area, will cease to exist this spring.
A once bright and bustling program is now reduced to the sole class of 2022. This year’s seniors will be the final Arts Magnet students to have the full experience and complete their Arts Magnet education with the Senior Capstone class — a right of passage where students spend a quarter perfecting and showcasing something they created. Three seniors of the Arts Magnet Senior Capstone class share their thoughts on the end of Arts Magnet and the impact it had of them throughout the years.
Sophia Dreveky
Q: Do you have any plans for your Senior Capstone project?
A: My 9th grade Capstone project was a stop motion animation, it was mainly about a character and their aspects of dealing with mental health, in a strange and surreal world. I’m hoping that my capstone will be a game preview or trailer. So I’m very, very excited to work on that, I’ve got some concepts already started, so then I can get a bit of a head start on my project.
Q: How do you feel about being in the last Senior Capstone?
A: It makes me a bit bummed because I really feel like Arts Infused Kids learn differently from others. So having this sort of system where we’re able to learn in a more creative and flexible environment than perhaps other classes is amazing. It’s unfortunate that there’s less participation not enough people signing up and less of a budget. It’s quite sad, but nothing good less forever. So at least I could be there to enjoy.
Q: How do you feel about Arts Magnet as a whole ending?
A: It makes me really sad, but I understand that like there’s a lot of things out of my control when it comes to the fact that it’s ending. I just have to learn to live with it. It’s my senior year and at least I get to participate. Q: What does Arts Magnet mean to you?
Q: What are you going to miss most about Arts Magnet?
A: I’d say just spending time with people who share similar interests with me. We all have different aspects of our being artistic, whether it’s interests in music or it’s interests in forms of art, but it’s really nice. Just being able to bond with these people because unlike Advisory, I feel like I’ve actually developed a connection with these people that I’ve been with ever since 9th grade.
Kohl Borski
Q: Do you have any plans for your Senior Capstone project?
A: No, I don’t. I think I’m going to do a very large painting of something. I’m not sure what, but I know it’s going to be amazing.
Q: How do you feel about being in the last Senior Capstone?
A: It hurts me because I know a lot of other underclassmen still were supposed to be in Arts Magnet and since they cut us that, they don’t get to graduate with the full experience that me and the classes above me got. It makes me sad that it just dies.
Q: How do you feel about Arts Magnet ending?
A: I think it’s shouldn’t. It was a great experience for a lot of kids like me, who needed that extra artistic ability to get projects done. And now that it’s ending, a lot of kids won’t get that.
Q: What does Arts Magnet mean to you?
A: To me, it is a family. People will comfort you and you don’t have to worry about never not seeing them because you know that you’ll always have them.
Caitlyn Seidel
Q: Do you have any ideas for you Capstone project?
A: I’m gonna animate something. It’ll probably be something sentimental, like it did for my first showcase piece when I was a freshman. Probably something’s a bit more effort and has a bit more style.
Q: How do you feel about being in the last Senior Capstone?
A: It’s extremely emotional and a lot of aspects like it’s great reaching that final part and doing this big project with all of these seniors that I’ve, you know, been in multiple classes with who I have connections with the same time. It’s really sad knowing that we’re the last ones that the year behind us don’t get to experience it.
Q: Are the Arts Magnet Student Council doing anything for the last Senior Capstone?
A: All we do is get to plan it as sort of our last Arts Magnet event. Other than that is just planning artsy connections in the library during Base Time, there’s not a whole lot that we can do anymore. I’m trying to keep together some sort of arts activity council but nothing is set in stone. I feel like we don’t really have a place and I’m just trying to find some nook that I can put my guys in.
Q: What does Arts Magnet mean to you?
A: It’s a way to express my knowledge, creativity, create art, and to find new branches of not only my artistic ability, but how I research and show what I know. I’ve learned that I’m way more socially driven because of Arts Magnet. I learned that I am capable of expressing my self, and my knowledge in ways I didn’t think possible.
Q: What would you want to say to the kids who could have been in Arts Magnet but won’t get the chance?
A: I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you don’t get the experience that we get. I’m sorry that there’s nothing I could have done to give that to you. I hope that they’re able to find other creative ways to express yourself, but overall, nothing will compare to what Arts Magnet was.
