Although the art room is far away from most classes in NAI, the classes in the room still remain a popular choice for students to enroll in.  The art department offers three classes to take, Drawing and Painting 1- 3, Digital Imaging and Media Arts, Arts and Crafts, and Introduction to Pottery and Sculpture.

Like most choices in life, there are many varying reasons that students took a class in the art department. For freshman Emma Meyhoffer, her mom drove her into taking art. “My Mom is very into art, and used to have her own store, so she wanted me to take the class. I got my passion from her”.

Faith Nguyen told us that she’s “always wanted to create things. Ever since I was young, I’ve had a fascination for the arts and what it means to people, and I knew I wanted to be skilled in that field”.

As for why take art, Nguyen is taking art class “to improve on her capabilities.” Another anonymous NAI student took the class “to have a less stressful class that she could relax in, and would break up her day.” In fact, art can help to release stress. It also has been shown to improve concentration and attention spans. Many students feel a sense of accomplishment after completing an art project.

Besides physical and mental benefits,  NAI’s art classes also have benefits for students art skills. Nguyen finds her art class to be very helpful to her. “This elective has been helpful in giving time to practice certain skills and to give motivation to finish entire projects because I tend not to finish my art”. The classes help students to work creatively and learn how to use multiple art tools, according to North Allegheny’s 2017-2018 Program of Studies.

If you’re finding that you have an open spot in your schedule for an extra elective, you should consider taking an elective in the Arts department! There’s a total of six classes that are eligible for ninth and/or tenth graders to take. Besides having a relaxing and engaging class that you can look forward to, enrolling in an art class has a plethora of advantages.