Visual arts are a huge part of my high school career. Whether it be painting, drawing, ceramics, or jewelry I have always been able to find something I feel will suit me best. While I may find these classes suitable for the basic skills, I do not feel like they are difficult enough for me.

Although, there is little offered for me past the beginner level courses. I am someone who wants to be pushed when it comes to building my artistic skills. As someone who wants to pursue art education in the near future, I’d like to be the best teacher I can be. 

I don’t want my art spoon-fed to me, I want a challenge. 

As of the 2021-2022 school year, the CollegeBoard offers four Advanced Placement art courses. This includes AP 2-D Art and Design, AP 3-D Art and Design, AP Drawing, and AP Art History. 

Grand Haven High School offers many visual arts courses including two and three-dimensional art, there are no Advanced Placement art courses offered to the artistically inclined. Offered to those actively pursuing advancement.  

To put it simply, we don’t already have an AP art class because we don’t have enough teachers to teach them and no one has gone out of their way to add the class. 

But to me, that’s not enough of an excuse.

“I do know that we need to submit a request for a new course a year in advance and if enough students sign up for it, we could offer it,” said art teacher Irene Sipe, who serves as the head of the art department.

In order to add an AP art class to the curriculum all we need to do is gain support and there would be a solid chance the course could run. 

Alongside the issue of support, there is the issue of overworking art teachers. While there are currently three visual arts teachers on staff at the high school, another art teacher would allow us to lighten the workload of the others and simultaneously open the door for an AP art class.  

It may not be the most feasible solution to add another art teacher during these trying times but we may be able to create an advanced art club that would create a similar opportunity for art students. 

The addition of an AP art class would strengthen students who need to grow further as an artist and want to pursue art in a higher educational setting and lighten the workload for our teachers who work extremely hard every single day.