In partnership with Forsyth County high schools and Windsor Jewelers, The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County is proud to present the Student Artist of the Month.
All Forsyth County high schools (private, public, and charter) that have arts programming were invited to participate in the Student Artist of the Month program. Arts educators and administrators from each school will select one student each month for recognition based on academic rigor and artistic merit. A variety of arts disciplines will be recognized over the course of the school year.
Sommer Stephens
Atkins Academic & Technology High School
Principal: Joe Childers
SAM Coordinator: Janet Blakely
Nominating Teacher: Janet Blakely
Arts Discipline: Visual Arts
Grade: 11
GPA/QPA: 4.3
What is your favorite part of the arts genre in which you were selected? I like being able to use different things you normally wouldn’t find in an art piece and have all the parts come together in the finished piece.
Where would you most like to attend college and what might be your major? I want to go to Cornell University, hopefully major in Zoology, and minor in Art or Music.
What is your proudest artistic accomplishment? Probably this year, having my art go to the Art Showcase state finals. Also winning a reflections art competition a few years ago.
How will the arts influence your future career? It helps me to capture a new perspective on life. I’m able to use my creativity in projects. Especially going into Zoology, it would help me to draw sketches of the animals I study.
Hayley Gladstone
Calvary Day School
Principal: Rick Bohner
SAM Coordinator: Vera Boston
Nominating Teacher: Vera Boston
Arts Discipline: Theatre
Grade: 12
GPA/QPA: 3.84
What is your favorite part of the arts genre in which you were selected? My favorite part about theatre is the way a show, with all its separate components, can come together and tell a wonderful story.
Where would you most like to attend college and what might be your major? I plan to attend ASU and major in Theatre and Dance Performance.
What is your proudest artistic accomplishment? My proudest artistic accomplishment is the amount of hard work I put into every performance. I feel that I have given my absolute best and have pushed myself to become a better actress.
How will the arts influence your future career? I plan to make theatre my career. Also, theatre has given me beneficial life skills, such as teamwork and better communication.
oshua Gakeri
Carver High School
Principal: Carol Montague-Davis
SAM Coordinator: Julia Puckett
Nominating Teacher: Juan Eckard
Arts Discipline: Music
Grade: 11
GPA/QPA: 3.0
What is your favorite part of the arts genre in which you were selected? My favorite part is coming in and play music to the best of my ability.
Where would you most like to attend college and what might be your major? North Carolina A&T University.
What is your proudest artistic accomplishment? Learning how to play the trumpet fluently in 3 months after playing other instruments.
How will the arts influence your future career? It will help me get a well paid job and my music talents will help me get in to the college that I want to attend
Caylen Gee
East Forsyth High School
Principal: Rodney Bass
SAM Coordinator: Roman Brady
Nominating Teacher: Greg Murphy
Arts Discipline: Band
Grade: 12
GPA/QPA: 3.5
What is your favorite part of the arts genre in which you were selected? I find it interesting and fun to approach new band material, as well as refining that which we have already learned.
Where would you most like to attend college and what might be your major? Not sure/undecided. However I would like to keep some form of band or music in my schedule regardless of where I attend.
What is your proudest artistic accomplishment? Staying with the program for the seven years that I have (and hopefully many more), and exploring different types of playing, such as Jazz and Marching Band.
How will the arts influence your future career? No matter what I end up doing for a livng, I’ll always have something that I can do, even if just a hobby, that I enjoy. Playing music, listening to music, et cetera have always been a favorite part of my day.
Sam Daugherty
Forsyth Country Day
Head of School: Gardner Barrier
SAM Coordinator: John Kildahl
Nominating Teacher: Aaron Craven
Arts Discipline: Orchestra
Grade: 12
GPA/QPA: 3.9
What is your favorite part of the arts genre in which you were selected? I love the feeling of reward after putting together a really tough concert. The moments in which every musician locks together make the months of practice worth it.
Where would you most like to attend college and what might be your major? I am attending Appalachian State University and plan on majoring in Electronic Media.
What is your proudest artistic accomplishment? I am most proud of my work with my band, in which I taught myself how to use recording software. We spent a year working on an album of original songs, which took a lot of love to complete. I love applying what I have learned from my favorite artists and utilizing the skills to my own art.
How will the arts influence your future career? I have a deep love for the arts, especially music. I would like to have a career with music in some form. Regardless of my career path, music has taught me how passion and dedication can make the largest difference in every aspect of life.
Stephanie Shields
Glenn High School
Principal: Brad Craddock
SAM Coordinator: Jonathan Miller
Nominating Teacher: Carol Earnhardt
Arts Discipline: Chorus
Grade: 12
GPA/QPA: 3.808
What is your favorite part of the arts genre in which you were selected? In Choir each piece of music has a story and when you are singing the music you become a part of the story, you feel the pain and you feel the happiness. You practice and learn the music over a period of weeks and within that time the music becomes imbedded into your soul, in a sense, you become the music. Another thing is the bond that you achieve with the people within the choir, for example, there’s this girl in my choir whom I never spoke to in my life until we met in choir we started talking and we automatically clicked and the bond we formed is now unbreakable. The people in your choir become more than just choir members, they become family.
Where would you most like to attend college and what might be your major? The school I would like to attend the most is Appalachian State University and major in music production. This is my dream major because I would like to bring people happiness everyday through the sound of music.
What is your proudest artistic accomplishment? Over the past 4 years of my high school career I have become more musically literate. I am now able to take a piece of music, study it, and then be able to sing it or play it on the piano. Another major artistic accomplishment is when I performed my very first solo at our last concert at the end of my junior year. I feel that this is a big accomplishment because I had never been the person to stand up in front of a large group of people and do something so big and so special all on my own.
How will the arts influence your future career? Well, I hope to get a major in music production and then open my own or co-open my own studio in hopes to help others express themselves through their own music. I know that I have the support from my family and my closest friends to do anything I put my mind to.
Triana Trower
North Forsyth High School
Principal: Melita Wise
SAM Coordinator: Carolina Corona
Nominating Teacher: Alegria Rodriguez
Arts Discipline: Dance
Grade: 12
GPA/QPA: 3.58
What is your favorite part of the arts genre in which you were selected? My favorite part about dancing is that I’m able to create a story with my body and express myself in ways that words can’t.
Where would you most like to attend college and what might be your major? I am hoping to attend ASU and double major in Public Relations and Dance Education.
What is your proudest artistic accomplishment? My proudest artistic accomplishment was when I was elected co-captain of my school’s dance team and created my first dance for halftime at my school’s football game.
How will the arts influence your future career? It will influence me to further my goals and aspirations to become a dance teacher myself, and maybe even open up a dance organization for under privileged kids. I want to inspire and motivate other dancers who have the same passion and ambition towards dance.
Lauren Blevins
Reagan High School
Principal: Brad Royal
SAM Coordinator: Jennifer Willard
Nominating Teacher: Molly Harwell
Arts Discipline: Dance
Grade: 12
GPA/QPA: 4.4151
What is your favorite part of the arts genre in which you were selected? My favorite part about dance is being able to freely express all my emotions, thoughts, and ideas while not having to say a single word. Having the ability to choose a class where I can completely set aside all the chaos of school, social life, and personal life in general has brought me the greatest comfort and relief, especially during my senior year.
Where would you most like to attend college and what might be your major? I am attending Appalachian State University in the fall of 2018 and my intended major is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) for my undergraduate studies.
What is your proudest artistic accomplishment? My proudest artistic accomplishment would be all the times I overcame adversity and all of the doubts I had floating in my head telling myself that I couldn’t do a dance move. I have my dance teachers Mrs. Molly Harwell, Ms. Erin Roberts, and former teacher Ms. Amanda Cook to thank for believing in me when I didn’t have enough courage to believe in myself.
How will the arts influence your future career? Although I am not pursuing a career in the arts, all my life I have resorted to dancing when words could not convey how I felt. I am taking that same love I have for dance into my career by comforting patients and their families when they cannot express the pain they’re feeling. And hopefully along the way there will be many dance sessions in the midst of a patient being scared or worried so that maybe dance can mean to them what it means to me
Katie Alexander
Salem Academy
Head of School: Mary Lorick Thompson
SAM Coordinator: Maria Robinson
Nominating Teacher: Joy Rushton
Arts Discipline: Choral Music
Grade: 12
GPA/QPA: 4.17
What is your favorite part of the arts genre in which you were selected? My favorite part about choral music is how it can be both a team and individual effort. When you’re in a chorus, each singer has to work with their section, and the sections have to work together to perform each piece. While you can only control your voice, one of the most fundamental truths of choral music is teamwork.
Where would you most like to attend college and what might be your major? At this point, I am planning on attending Wake Forest University and studying Politics and International Affairs with a minor in Environmental Studies.
What is your proudest artistic accomplishment? I have written three songs and performed two of them.
How will the arts influence your future career? Because of choral music, I have grown in my creativity and confidence in performing. Those two skills will serve me well in any career where I may find myself.
Christopher Jones
Walkertown High School
Principal: Misty Walker
SAM Coordinator: Quincy Lundy
Nominating Teacher: Quincy Lundy
Arts Discipline: Band/Music
Grade: 12
GPA/QPA: 3.5
What is your favorite part of the arts genre in which you were selected? My favorite part of the this genre is meeting people that share the same interest in music as I do.
Where would you most like to attend college and what might be your major? I plan to attend Winston-Salem State University and major in Music Education.
What is your proudest artistic accomplishment? My proudest artistic accomplishment is becoming section leader of our percussion section.
How will the arts influence your future career? Participating in the arts over these many has greatly influenced me and given me excellent experience toward becoming a music educator.
Grace Wall
West Forsyth High School
Principal: Charles McAninich
Nominating Teacher: Jacob Cook
Arts Discipline: Choral Music
Grade: 12
GPA/QPA: 4.3
What is your favorite part of the arts genre in which you were selected? I have always loved to sing, but there is something about singing with other people that makes me really happy. The unity I feel within the choral department has a very special place in my heart. Rehearsing music with some of my closest friends is something I could see myself doing forever.
Where would you most like to attend college and what might be your major? I am most likely going to be attending Western Carolina University and majoring in Musical Theatre.
What is your proudest artistic accomplishment? Being voted as the President for the Choral department!
How will the arts influence your future career? I’m obsessed with it. I hopefully will be involved in the arts for the rest of my life. If I could sing and perform as a career it wouldn’t even feel like a job. I love impacting people lives through singing and I would love to do that forever.
The Arts Council would like to thank music teacher, Danny Green, who not only initiated the Student Artist of the Month program, but is serving as the volunteer liaison between the Arts Council and the schools for this project.
If you have questions or comments about this program, please contact us.
Danny Green, Student Artist of the Month Program Coordinator: sam.wsfchs@gmail.com