Arts Education News from the Perpich Center

Alumna wins Emmy as associate producer of “Nanking”

Katie Strand, a Perpich Center Arts High School alumna now living in Los Angeles, was part of an Emmy-winning team this fall as an associate producer of the TV documentary “Nanking.” The show is about the invasion of  Nanking, China, by the Japanese before World War II. The documentary won as outstanding historical programming—long form.

Congratulations Katie!

Mary Harding wins award for research

Perpcih Center Arts High School dance instructor Mary Harding, along with co-researcher Becky Haven, a Forest Lake High School teacher, has won the 2009 Individual Research Initiative Award from the Arts Schools Network for “Peer Coaching in the Arts Classroom.” The award presentation will take place at a luncheon Oct. 31 at the network’s conference in Arlington, Va. Their report on the research was published in the Journal of Dance Education, volume 9, number 2, under the title, “The Effects of Peer Coaching in the Secondary Arts Classroom, Intentional Watching in the Dance Studio.”

Great work, Mary!

Sam Ekren wins best stop motion animation in N. Y. film fest

Sam Ekren, a senior from Nevis, won best stop motion animation for his submission, “By My Side,” at the Reel Teens Film Festival in Hunter, N.Y. This past year there were 623 entries in the Reel Teens event, including 42 from foreign countries. The 78 finalists entries were to be screened Oct. 9-11. Included in the finalists were “Bon Voyage” and “It’s Not in Your Head” by 2009 Arts High graduate Alyssa Kaiser of  Zimmerman, and “Marcul City” by Abram Pineda-Fischer, Foley, also an ’09 grad. Their instructor, Nancy Norwood, was named a 2009 Portfolio Teacher of the national Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, by The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers.

Chef Mo has art show in Dinkytown

Chef Mohamed Mokasso Chalbi, “Mo,” has been chef at the Arts High School of the Perpich Center for Arts Education for almost seven years where he has been surrounded by art every school day. He says the student art on display here had rubbed off on him and he started painting about a year ago.

Now, our chef has his art on display from Oct. 6 through Oct. 16 or 23 at one of his favorite off-duty hangouts, the Espresso Royale Caffe at 614 Washington Ave. SE in Dinkytown near the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campus. Chef Mo is employed by Taher, Inc., caterer to Perpich Center.

 “My art, cooking, brought me to the Arts High School. Through my art, I found an art—painting,” says Chalbi recently. “By coming here I got into this. The kids inspired me.”

Student art on display in October at public library

Visual and photographic works created by Perpich Arts High School students will be on display through October at the Hennepin County Library in Golden Valley, 830 Winnetka Ave. N. The official opening for the student art show is set for 5 p.m. Tuesday Oct. 6. The show is part of the Hennepin County Library System’s “Teen Read Month” in collaboration with the Perpich Center for Arts Education.

Perpich Center guidance counselor to make presentation

Dianne Auger, Arts High School guidance counselor, will make a presentation on preparing students for higher education in the arts Oct. 8 at the College Counseling Institute for High School Counselors, sponsored by the Minnesota Association of College Admissions Counselors at St. Catherine University, St. Paul.

Arts High School Grad in cast of play in Dowling Studio at Guthrie

Julia Fairbanks, a 1999 Arts High School theater graduate, is in “Super Monkey,” which premiered Sept. 17 in the Dowling Studio at the Guthrie Theater. Julia plays a “real estate agent and celebrity admirer [who] is so keen to enter a posh apartment building that she rushes the doorman,” according to a review in the StarTribune.com. The play continues through Oct. 4. During her Arts High School years she was known as Julia Fairbanks Thompson and was from St. Paul.

Arts High School information session is Oct. 10 in Duluth

An information session on the 2010-2011 academic year at the Arts High School at the Perpich Center for Arts Education in Golden Valley is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon, Oct. 10 at the Comfort Suites, 408 Canal Park Dr. in Duluth.

Arts High School staff will give the presentation. Please call 763 591-4700 or 800 657-3515 to make a reservation for the session. The deadline to apply for admission for the 2010-2011 school year is Feb. 1, 2010.

The high school serves families from throughout the state of Minnesota and provides an on-campus residence hall for out-of-town students.

Perpich alumni featured at book release party

Rachel Coyne, Chisago City, a 1994 graduate of the Perpich Center Arts High School in literary arts, will be featured at a book release party for her new book “Whiskey Heart” at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at Birchbark Books and Native Arts, 2115 W. 21st St., Minneapolis, MN, 612 374-4023. Rachel writes about a woman who returns to her Minnesota roots and her dysfunctional extended family in this novel of recovery and redemption. After reading from her book, she will sign copies of it.

Black Master Storytellers Festival finale at Perpich

The 18th Annual Black Master Storytellers Festival grand finale concert is scheduled from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Perpich Center for Arts Education, 6125 Olson Memorial Hwy, Golden Valley. The first two days of the festival were each at different venues.