Arts & Electives

March 22, 2024

Spring 2024 Gristle Butter #11

Click here to read Gristle Butter #11, featuring Zora D, Jay S (‘22), Miles C, Sarah P, Rosie A, and Maddox B.

Jane Austen field trip to see "Pride & Prejudice"

March 8, 2024

Pride and Prejudice

Students in the Jane Austen class took an enriching outing to the Black Friar’s playhouse in Stanton to watch a wonderful new stage adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice”. Their picnic lunch after added to the charm of the day, creating an atmosphere for the students to relax and bond over their shared love for the book. Lively conversation discussing their thoughts on casting and character choices portrayed in the play created lasting memories and enhanced their learning experience. They all very much enjoyed the play and appreciated the live production experience.

February 12, 2024

Spring 2024 Gristle Butter, Issue #10

Click here to read the Spring 2024 Gristle Butter, Issue #10 featuring Maddox B, Daniel A, Kylie G, Odessa M, and Tristan S.

December 9, 2023

Bella’s Love For Theater Is Contagious!

Bella T’s passion for theater began at a very young age, and she has been involved in various theater programs ever since. She started taking classes with Virginia Children’s Theater (VCT) and Mill Mountain Theater (MMT) when she was only four or five years old. Since then, she has continued to work with them and is currently a student of Mill Mountain Theater’s Acting and Music Theater Conservatory (MMTC). Bella is also a member of their Student Advisory Board, which allows her to provide feedback on the theater’s programs and activities.

Bella has also taken classes with Showtimers Theater, PB&J Theater, the New York Film Academy, and the University of North Carolina School of Arts. Her dedication to theater has paid off, and she has been involved in several productions. Some of her favorites include Out Of The Shadows (VCT), Cinderella (VCT), As You Like It (MMT), Lift Every Voice (VCT), and Charlotte’s Web (MMT). Most recently, Bella made her debut on the CHS stage as Marilla in our production of Dracula: a feminist, revenge fantasy, really.

These productions have allowed her to showcase her acting skills and grow as a performer. Bella is grateful for all the opportunities that theater has given her, and she considers it to be a life-changing experience that has allowed her to express herself freely. Additionally, Bella’s interest in theater is not limited to acting. Currently she is working on writing and staging a show with MMTC. Bella is beyond thankful for the chance to improve her theater skills at CHS, and looks forward to a bright future in theater.

December 6, 2023

Indoor Rock Climbing

Indoor rock-climbing is an exciting and challenging activity. Our PE students took a trip to River Rock Climbing for an opportunity to engage in physical activity while also improving coordination, balance, and strength. Climbing also requires mental focus and problem-solving skills, making it a great activity for developing cognitive abilities while having fun.

November 30, 2023

Artificial Intelligence in the Photo World

Futuristic photographic techniques also inspire creativity at CHS. As the Digital Photography class reached back into history to learn from their photophilic ancestors, they look inward — what is conscious image-making, they asked, as they read articles on the changes generative software (ie AI) is causing in the photo world. Is an AI composition your composition? Is the prompt where art’s aura belongs? Or do the programers themselves constitute the creative force behind these algorithmic collage making machines? The class investigated these questions, and more, by becoming the Chinese Box themselves. One student acted as the deciding portion of a typical AI program, executing the command YES or NO, as their compatriots went through a data set (a bunch of National Geographics — thanks zine club) to satisfy a prompt generated by other classmates. Feast your eyes!

Caption of above photo: King Kong, Eiffel Tower, sunrise (night)

: a birds eye view of the US Capital building at night

: Walter and Jesse busting down

: a little boy in a city dancing

November 23, 2023

Cyanotypes

Traditional photographic techniques inspire creativity at CHS. CHS’s Digital Photography class hasn’t limited itself to creating images using cameras alone. In a scintillating display of technical and conceptual unity, these students have boldly captured images of high contrast and printed them using a few chemicals and the power of the sun: Cyanotypes.

November 15, 2023

Grandin Film Lab

Jupiter C and Ivor G are currently taking an exciting course at the Grandin Film Lab. The process of scriptwriting is a crucial part of filmmaking, as it sets the foundation for the entire production. They’ve been learning about storytelling, editing, directing, and sound operation, all of which are essential elements of a successful film.

Once they are finished writing their scripts, they will submit them for a possible opportunity to have them turned into short films and shown at film festivals across the country.