Spotlight on Education: Saint Stephen

BRADENTON – For the third year, students from Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton, Florida, will have their artwork displayed at The Saint Stephen's Episcopal School Visual Arts Conservatory showcase on Friday April 11, 2014. The showcase will be unveiled at the Anna Maria Art League Gallery, located at 5312 Holmes Blvd., Holmes Beach.

The Conservatory affords a special graduation distinction to students who have demonstrated exceptional interest and proficiency in the visual arts.  Seniors who have fulfilled the requirements for this distinction far exceed the graduation requirement by pursuing numerous courses in the visual arts focused on advanced concepts and skills.  The minimum to earn this distinction is four visual arts courses with at least one of those courses at the Honors or Advanced Placement level or five visual arts courses with at least one at the Advanced level.

Artwork from Lauren Biach

“The goal of the Visual Arts Conservatory is greater than merely students completing four or five courses at predetermined levels,” said Dr. Janet Pullen, head of school at Saint Stephen’s. “The conservatory distinction recognizes and encourages a commitment to the pursuit of visual arts study and also creates an interesting balance between student enthusiasm for the arts and the continuation of an ever-stronger curriculum,” she said.

Many of the student artists go on to great careers in the field. Eric Roberts, '14, will be attending The Ringling School of Art & Design with a Dreamworks Scholarship; Sarah Johnson, '13, is currently studying theater with a BFA (Bachelor's of Fine Arts) at UCF; and Victoria Stadlin, '12, currently attends the Rhode Island School of Design, one of the top arts schools in the country.

SSES students attending this year include Lakewood Ranch residents Megan Carr and Lauren Biach, Sarasota residents Eric Roberts and Nikki Cronen, East Manatee County resident Tiffany Yoon, and Manatee County residents Gera Versfeld, Jacqueline Perron, Zhuo Zhao, Kayla Hayes, Chelsea Burgess, and Christina Taylor.