Central High School’s gymnasium burst with creativity Monday as students in the humanities, fine arts and communication academy hosted their first expo.

For two hours, students showcased their work, which included color guard workshops, creative writing and painting samples and a 12-member chorus singing a medley of Queen songs.

“This year we’ve really got a great choir, a great band, and we really wanted to show them off,” band director Molly Epperson said.

In addition to giving students a chance to display their talents for teachers and peers, administrators say they wanted the expo to expose ninth-graders to career academy options. After they graduate from the ninth-grade academy, students at Central must choose between a business academy, a math and science academy or a fine arts academy.

Students in all high school career academies complete a traditional curriculum but with a focus in their chosen field.

The expo gave students a chance to talk with instructors who teach in the fine arts academy and “kick around ideas,” Central Principal Finley King said.

“We found that a lot of students were choosing academies based on which one they thought was harder, or because their friends are there,” Mr. King said. “We want kids to make good choices, to determine their career academy because it’s something they’re good at.”

Ninth-grader Kayton Chambers, 15, said she appreciated the opportunity to see which area of the academy she might be most interested in.

After attending the expo, classmate Daisha Callahan, 15, said she plans to enroll in the fine arts academy next year.

“I think I want to major in acting in college, and (the fine arts academy) has acting,” she said.

Junior Amy Gerlach, 16, takes advantage of several areas of the fine arts academy. A soprano in the 12-member Ensemble chorus, the aspiring photographer also takes creative writing and is a member of the photography club.

“I love the freedom of expression,” she said. “I want to be a photographer, so I’m right where I need to be.”

 Lower Lights