Joshua Sarfert

Social Media Manager

It is no secret that R.J. Reynolds High School provides an abundance of visual and performing arts classes. If you were to take a walk through the hallways, you’d notice an array of artworks hanging on the walls, and posters taped up promoting upcoming performances.

However, how do art students who aren’t located in the RJR district get accepted to attend a school filled with opportunities to meet their artistic desires? This is where the honors arts audition process for future RJR students comes in. 

“When the magnet lottery opens in the fall, this is for families who have kids in the eighth grade and want those students to come to Reynolds in the ninth grade,” arts coordinator Pamela Kirkland said. “Let’s say they’ve been dancing since they were four years old, or they’ve been taking professional singing lessons, they would be able to come in not wanting to take an introductory class and have the opportunity in February to come in on a weekend for an audition.”

Once students audition, they can be placed in a course, according to the skills they’ve showcased. From there, when registering for classes, they will know which level will fit their abilities best. 

“For A Cappella, they would sing for some of the students, or the teachers,” Kirkland said. “If it’s theater and if they’ve been involved in little theater or community theater since they were small, they would come in and perform for Mr. Zayas and art teachers.” 

Similar to chorus and theater, dance classes also provide an audition opportunity for students to showcase their skills.

“Eighth graders audition to be in an honors class or Pre-AP class, and they come in and do a self-choreographed solo,” dance teacher Amelia Hailey said. “They take a class that is run by my seniors which focuses on technique.”

While having to audition for art classes might seem jarring to some, it can be beneficial for the teachers and students to know their starting point so they can improve their talents.

“Everyone knows that there’s a place for everyone to dance but we have found that it’s very important that we’re all at least on the same technical level, if not the same pedagogical level, which is what you learn in dance class, or a Reynolds class,” Hailey said. “It’s kind of like introducing reading to someone, some people know the alphabet, and others write books. So, you have to be in the right place, but there is a lot of room for growth when you get to the right place.”

Having a process of getting students into the correct level class, allows for the arts department at RJR to flourish when it comes to the wants and needs of students, along with allowing the teachers to teach on a broader scale of difficulty.

“I think all students should be able to be met at their ability level,” Kirkland said. “I think in education, we get very comfortable just teaching what we are good at. I got good at teaching, but it wasn’t applicable to the students who were sitting in front of me. So I think it’s our job to make what students are experiencing in the classroom is relevant to their lives.”

If you or someone you know is considering applying to RJR in the future, be sure to let them know that there is a space for them no matter beginner or advanced, making RJR the perfect place for arts kids to thrive.