Paramus Catholic High School Students To Display Talents at Bergen County Teen Arts Festival
By SYDNEY BLAND '13
PARAMUS, NJ- Approximately 225 students from Paramus Catholic High School will attend the annual Bergen County Teen Arts Festival on Friday, May 17, 2013 at Bergen Community College.
Paramus Catholic High School has been attending the festival for 10 years. Mrs. Lewandowski, a Paramus Catholic High School teacher and liaison for the Bergen County Teen Arts Festival, described a typical first day as one in which students register, pick up name tags and receive information about seminars, workshops, and performances. Mrs. Lewandowski stated, “The students love the festival. They are around like-minded people and are free to express themselves. It’s like a great sporting event for the arts.”
Paramus Catholic’s band and dance classes perform at the festival. The band usually performs one to two songs, while the dance class has one performance. Both groups of students are critiqued right on the spot. Mrs. Lewandowski expressed, “So far, my most fond memory is getting back stellar critiques on the dance performance and sitting on the lawn, listening to various bands and open-mic acts.”
Evan Cooper, the Administrator of the Bergen County Teen Arts Festival, indicated through an email that there will be 32 different opportunities for students in all areas of the arts. There are 80 separate workshop presentations, which will enable every student to attend several during their day at the festival. All workshops are 50 minutes, unless otherwise indicated. Some workshops returning to the festival include “Mask Making” and “YouTube Cube.” Last year, over 200 students made their own masks and learned how to create their own videos for the web.
New workshops include, “From Songs to Stories,” where students learn to interpret their favorite piece of music in their own words, and “Improvisation Games,” where students participate in a high energy and hands-on introduction to theatrical improvisation.
The Teen Arts Festival will provide an educational and memorable hands-on experience for Paramus Catholic High School students. Mrs. Lewandowski commented, “The festival is brilliant. It’s a worthwhile experience and something Bergen County should be proud of.”
