Art classes are underappreciated. It seems the more time that passes, the more art is forgotten. Many schools nationwide cut art classes to save on their budget. Which is why, as odd as it is, students should be grateful that Lafayette high school has many art classes, ranging from general art to arts and crafts, all the way to pottery.

It used to be the norm to have art in school, but that is changing as time goes on. Students should take advantage of this opportunity by taking an art class, considering that high school is the final free way of experiencing art, without paying a fortune in college or art school. There are several studies that show arts education helps students in other academic areas, so it is surprising that so many schools cut the arts.

Lafayette has many forms of art classes. There is general Art, which covers the basics of art (a little bit of everything). There is Drawing 1 and 2, which, hence the name, covers drawing skills. There are also things like Pottery for more hands-on kinds of people, Photography for the people who want to capture visual beauty, Crafts, and Computer Art for visual design. There are also SCAPA-specific art classes, painting (for the Van Gogh’s out there), and many more.

When talking to a Drawing 1 teacher, Ms. Detraz, she said that “Lafayette has great art programs and a lot of [offereings].” There are no prerequisites for art classes besides numbered courses, like Drawing 2 or Painting 2 (which requires the previous classes, labeled with a 1).

Coming from personal experience, these classes are quite enjoyable and tame compared to other electives.

On the Lafayette High School website, it states this for any people interested in art and wishing to take the Visual and Performing Arts classes. “Students will study the cultural and historical significance of art, music, dance, theatre, and architecture. The course content includes a study of the evolution of these art forms and is designed to broaden student appreciation of the role of the arts in human culture. This course fulfills the graduation requirements for the Arts and Humanities as outlined in the Kentucky High School Program of Studies.” This shows that Lafayette truly cares about its students and the many programs offered to them.