News

Exploring A Liberal Arts Curriculum Integrated With The Trades

To most when they hear the word “art” they think of drawings, paintings, and works hung in a gallery, but last Tuesday, students from Mrs. Seitz’s Art 2 and AP classes, Mrs. Siegwald’s Graphic Design class, as well as members of the Architecture & Engineering Club, visited the American College of the Building Arts (ACBA) to see that art expands to more than just what someone can put onto paper.

Located in downtown Charleston, ACBA is a liberal arts college that offers an Associate of Applied Sciences in the Building Arts as well as a Bachelor of Applied Sciences in the Building Arts. What makes this stand out from a typical college is that each degree has a "craft specialization" where students select an area to focus. 

The Associate program offers four areas: Blacksmithing, Heritage Masonry & Stone Carving, Plaster, and Wood; while the Bachelor program offers six areas: Architectural Carpentry, Blacksmithing, Classical Architecture & Design, Heritage Masonry & Stone Carving, Plaster, and Timber Framing. “Dying arts” that hold a special niche in the world of historical preservation.

But how did PCA students find this hidden treasure to explore? Academic Counselor, Sally Pascutti, can take the credit.

“ACBA offers such a unique opportunity to earn a Bachelor's degree and a journeyman level master craft,” explained Pascutti. “For creative, tactile students, it is a practical way to express creativity in a physical environment.”

Art teacher NIcole Seitz and Kylie Siegwald were just as excited as the students. “I want to go there and take classes!” Siegwald exclaimed. 

Nicole Seitz agreed and added that she was most impressed by the fact that students, “were doing traditional building arts that you find in the Bible, like in 1 Chronicles when they are building the temple.” 

The teachers weren’t the only ones who were excited about the tour, the school and its majors also left an impression on the students. ”I really liked seeing the section where they welded the metal,” explained junior Grayson Campbell. “I thought it was really fascinating that you can take a solid and get it hot enough to create anything you want.”

“It was amazing to see this is happening in our own town,” said Seitz and the students agreed. 

The ACBA is truly a hidden gem in our historical, Holy City.

Lights, Sound.. Look Who's Running The A-V Booth!

The phrase “we’re all in this together,” takes on a whole new meaning when talking about this year's Audio-Visual (or AV) Club. The faces in the booth may look familiar, and that is because by day they are the AV Club but by afternoon many of them also double as the Varsity Girls Basketball team. 

How did this come to be? It all started with a simple ask from AV Original Member and Varsity Girls teammate Abby Creech.

“It was a Troy Bolton moment,” said team member AnnaJaye Walters, referring to the beloved teen Disney movie, High School Musical, when a group of friends who have never acted before, all join the school play because their best friend and “leader” Troy Bolton asks them to. 

“Abby asked us to join,” said SarahAnne Horne, “and we don’t get enough time to bond on the court.” Walters agreed, adding, “we all wanted to bond as a team and to serve PCA and this club allowed us to do that.” 

But the AV team is much more than just a basketball team bonding experience. It's a group of students who are stepping up to participate in an expanded use of technology - learning how to properly operate equipment for lights and sound for various school events. The AV team consists of Colby Dumont (12), AnnaJaye Walters (12), Abby Creech (11), SarahAnne Horne (11), Reed Jones (9), Cokey Suddeth (9), Emily Romfo (9), and Scotty Wrenn (9). 

AV Club Advisor, Austin Thompson, who is also the Production Assistant at ECBC, describes the club members' duties as “running events like chapel, doing slides and controlling lights. Also helping with the school play!”

The newest members run elements such as slides and intro music while “their fearless leader” Abby mans the soundboard. Original founding member, Colby Dumont, who has been trained on the equipment since seventh grade handles the lighting. 

When asked how AV club has benefited him, Colby explained, “I was able to learn how the tech stuff works and during school plays I could control and operate the special effects.” 

The next time you are enjoying an event in the Worship Center at PCA, make sure you look up to the booth and give a wave to the hard working students and crew who help bring the sight and sound to the event.