NAHS Introduced to Fauquier High

A club that provides artistic opportunities for students.

Arabella Seiler, Contributor

This year, National Art Honor Society (NAHS) comes to Fauquier High School, introduced by art teachers Dawn Brown and Rebecca Graham

Students who wish to join must maintain a 3.0 GPA in all of their classes, and in their first semester of high school art classes must have a 4.0 GPA.

NAHS is a program that honors serious artists in grades 6-12. They recognize young creative abilities and talents and work to provide future opportunities to young artists. Numerous scholarships are offered to members of the organization.

NAHS was founded in 1978 by the National Art Education Association (NAEA). The goal of the program is to “inspire and recognize students who have shown an outstanding ability and interest in art. The program supports members in their efforts to attain the highest standards in art scholarship, character, and service, and to bring art education to the attention of the school and community.”

One of the first students to advocate for bringing NAHS to FHS is sophomore Makayla Dankwa. Dankwa spoke to Brown during her freshman year about the possibility of introducing NAHS to FHS after hearing about the program, and all the opportunities it provided to members.

Brown sees NAHS as a way to attract the attention of more serious and dedicated artists. It would also offer more appeal to those pursuing art as a career. Brown was looking for students passionate about art and take the time to provide artwork for the school and community.

Additionally, NAHS makes an effort to allow students to experiment with a wide range of mediums such as clay and acrylic paint.

Rebecca Graham has been a part of the NAHS for roughly a decade, previously running the program at Battlefield High School. Graham now joins FHS as a new art teacher and NAHS sponsor.

Graham spoke of how her most fond experiences in NAHS have been service work for the community by hosting ice cream socials, where the frozen confections were served in clay bowls made by students. The program has also raised awareness for the arts and money for an elementary school library as well as gifted art to both teachers and the community.

Both Brown and Graham look forward to hosting the program for years to come and providing students an outlet for their artistic talents and passions. Currently, members are working on a mural to decorate the hall and make others day brighter.

Brown recommended that students looking for a club that encourages student’s artistic abilities, without the academic standards of NAHS, consider attending the anime club due to the club’s encouragement of art.

Unfortunately, NAHS will be taking the place of the art club hosted during previous years. However, Brown did express a desire to possibly run both NAHS and a less demanding art club within the next few years, though it would depend on the success of NAHS.