Fine Arts Continued....Post #3

Rounding up our posts about fine arts at PND we'd like to share a little about the performing arts offered at PND. From band and choir to dance and theatre there are numerous opportunities to be involved with the fine arts. As a Catholic school community we are always working on accomplishing our mission of "... to foster the spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical development . . .of our student by teaching the Catholic Faith, Leading students to be disciple of Jesus Christ, and by teaching the arts and sciences in a climate of Catholic academic inquiry. " We also pride ourselves in our eight values that guide and animate life at PND: academic excellence, Catholic Faith, Family, dignity, personal responsibility, service to others, teamwork, and tradition.

The performing arts stress the value of "teamwork". To complete a fall play production or spring musical takes an extraordinary amount of teamwork. Hearing the choir perfect their craft and the band pull off a great piece are wonderful experiences. But behind the actual performance is the real work. In the performing arts students face the tasks of working together, settling differences, and building a shared vision of what their work can be. In 2003 a study by the University of Colorado determined that the greatest indicator of success in life (described as adults who report feeling satisfied with their lives and having purpose) was not ACT scores or GPA, but rather successful participation in co-curricular activities. This should not come as a surprise. Not only do these activities teach the arts and an appreciation for beauty but they push students to think outside of ourselves. Working together pushes us beyond our immediate needs and to recognize that success is often not an individual effort but tied to the good work and efforts of the entire community.

In our Catholic faith we know that our salvation is a communal act. We know that our obligations extend beyond ourselves. The call of our baptism to seek the Truth and work for justice define our Christian experience. The higher purpose of the co-curricular and fine arts offerings are tied to this mission. By preparing students to work together for good now ... they are prepared to work for good in whatever vocation they are called.

Below are a few video clips. In the first you'll hear from members of our choir and their reflections regarding their experience. Next you'll hear comments from the president of our Drama Club, senior Melissa Gray about how being a part of our productions has helped her grow as a person.