Excelling in the arts

By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- Chris Rapinz, 12, has been singing ever since he could talk.
A program through the Trumbull County Educational Service Center is allowing him to hone that skill.
Chris, 12, and a seventh-grader at Lakeview Middle School, is one of 175 pupils enrolled in the Arts/EXCEL program, which allows pupils in grades five through 11, in all 20 Trumbull County schools to take classes in art, vocal and instrumental music, dance and drama.
It's Chris' first year in the program.
"I'm having such a good time," he said. "I mean c'mon, I'm getting to do what I love to do. I love to sing. I've been singing since I learned to talk."
How it works
Program participants meet 21 Fridays through the school year at Lordstown Middle School. Pupils must audition and be chosen for the program. They select a major area of study where they spend 23/4 hours each Friday in the program. They also get 90 minutes of weekly instruction in a minor area of study.
Twelve artists instruct pupils in their areas of expertise.
"We're looking for students that are showing potential," said Michele Krisher, program supervisor. "Many are identified as gifted in an area by a teacher at their home school."
Krisher and Carlotta Raymond Sheets, communications administrator at TCESC, point out that Arts/EXCEL allows pupils an opportunity to learn about the arts they may not otherwise get.
"We have a lot of small districts in Trumbull County, and with a small district it's just not economically feasible to offer it on their own," Krisher said.
Participants must pay a $180 annual fee.
Art class
In Mary Beth Wensel's beginning art class, pupils were working on a project to tell a story.
Nicholas Helmick, 10, a fifth-grader, at Leavitt Elementary in Leavittsburg, painted a long cardboard tube in a recent morning class to transform it into a water spout for a spider to climb up.
This marks Nicholas' first year in the program. He auditioned after hearing his brother, Casey, 12, a seventh-grader, talk about it.
"I just thought it sounded really cool, and I love art," Nicholas said.
Casey, who is in the drama program, is proud to have his younger brother following in his footsteps. But he's a little embarrassed because his little brother's drama audition earned the younger boy a higher score than most of the older drama students, Casey said.
"It's a good program," Casey said. "I like coming here and being with kids from different school districts."
Hamming it up
Pupils in Patricia Fagan's drama class hammed it up for their teacher and one another in one recent class.
Fagan, who's also Youth Theatre director at Youngstown Playhouse, yelled a word or phrase and pupils acted it out, using only their faces and bodies, no words.
"Patriotism... one, two, three -- freeze," Fagan said, as pupils, grouped in threes, saluted, held their hands over their hearts and portrayed raising flags.
Fagan said theater instruction for adults is similar to that for children because performing requires people to become like children.
"You have to lose your inhibitions," she said.
For the first three weeks of the program, instructors perform for pupils. Then the spotlight moves to pupil performers who share their talents with their instructors and classmates.
Brianna Coy, 12, is in her third year of studying dance through Arts/EXCEL. Besides enjoying getting out of regular classes, Brianna, a seventh-grader at Warren's East Middle School, says she likes the program because she loves to dance.
Music
Pupils in Jodine Pilmer's instrumental music program split their time between practicing their instruments and studying music theory.
Many of the children in the instrumental program also participate in their school bands.
"I get very positive feedback on how well they're doing in band back in their home schools," Krisher said.
Michael B. Dowell, 12, a sixth-grader at Warren Western Reserve Middle School, plays saxophone in the program but also plays trumpet, clarinet, piano and a little bit of oboe.
Chris Dudley, 12, and a seventh-grader at East Middle School, plays trumpet, drums, saxophone, clarinet, guitar and dabbles on keyboards.
Both boys are in their second year at Arts/EXCEL and say they enjoy the program.
"I think it's helped me," Chris said. "Here we do things that are faster and more technical."
Besides his instrument talents, Michael hopes to be able to strut his stuff with his minor this year.
"I'm hoping my minor is dance because I can dance," he said proudly.
dick@vindy.com