Students from across Baton Rouge are experiencing the value of fine arts through The DeBose Arts Foundation, an area nonprofit that partners with local schools to offer literary, visual, and performing arts education as well as exhibition and performance opportunities. The foundation works to help aspiring young musicians, dancers, actors, visual artists, and poets grow.
School leaders at Inspire Charter Academy entered students into an annual performance competition along with students from other area schools. The DeBose Foundation kicked off its annual fine arts series competition with an exhibition of student artwork that would be judged by local art aficionados.
Inspire students were thrilled after placing first in two categories. Wolfgang Varise, fifth-grader, won first place in the Traditional Arts fifth-grade category with his purple and yellow “OP” Art drawing, and Alayjah Betts, sixth-grader, won first place in the Two-Dimensional Design category for middle school with her work, “Zentangle,” a Mixed Media on Metal Foiling piece.
“We are beyond excited at the amazing work of the budding artists of Inspire Charter Academy and celebrated their win at our Annual Black History Program,” said Jackie Gray, art teacher at Inspire.
The Foundation’s exhibit featured student art, including two- and three-dimensional artworks and poster-art, created by elementary, middle, and high school students. Awards were given for first, second, and third-place and honorable mentions. All students who participated received certificates of participation and a lanyard with the DeBose logo.
Additionally, throughout February, Inspire students were honored to have their work on display for the public to enjoy at a library in Baton Rouge. Those students were from various grades at the school, including Samara Jones, Brejah Davis, Kaiya Glasper, Kimberly Bonilla Garcia, Da’Myreon Jones, Jade Green, Takyrea Johnson, and Mila Richard.
“I am extremely proud of the accomplishments of our students,” said Dr. Ronnie Harrison, director of school quality at Inspire. “We have so many talented students excelling in many ways in our schools. This is only one of many examples!”