- Altmar-Parish-Williamstown CSD
- Homepage
APW students exhibit their talents at New York State School Boards Association Convention
The ceramics course at the Altmar-Parish-Williamstown Junior/Senior High School is blossoming into a staple of the art curriculum thanks to a concerted effort from art instructor Matt Hill.
Five years ago, the APW Junior/Senior High School didn’t offer a ceramics course but just recently three of their students showed off their pottery-making talents at a state convention in Rochester, New York.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Hill. “Students are super passionate about this weird art.”
Anna Mullin, Nicole Redford, and Hanna Durgan had the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of dozens when they attended the 2019 New York State School Boards Association Convention. They also got to discuss the art form with other individuals at the convention.
“It was cool to show people that I could do this at a young age,” said Redford. “And that it could possibly progress to something for me in the future.”
20 schools were invited to the convention with APW being one of the smallest schools invited. The students weren’t the only ones in the spotlight as Hill was given the opportunity to speak about the benefits of school districts having a ceramics course. He talked about how to budget for an art program, the “Feats of Clay” event the district put on, and the pride a course like ceramics can bring to students.
“It’s nice that the students can develop, they can hone a skill, they make beautiful and personal objects,” said Hill. “Ceramics can be geared toward any age and everyone needs a thing. More and more students in the APW Central School District are calling ceramics their thing.”
Nicole Redford, Hanna Durgan, and Anna Mullin showcasing their talent during the convention.