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The Hector Cafferata Elementary School choir sings Christmas carols. CHUCK BALLARO
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Artwork from students at Diplomat Elementary School is display. CHUCK BALLARO
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Cape Coral High School Jazz Band member Jason Goodrich plays the trumpet during the Arts on the River event at the Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village on Wednesday. CHUCK BALLARO
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The North Fort Myers High School Jazz Band performs during the Arts on the River event at the Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village on Wednesday. CHUCK BALLARO
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The School District of Lee County holds numerous events each year that showcase the artistic talents of its students, from the youngest to those in high school.
On Wednesday, at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village, students in the West Zone came to showcase their work at the first “Arts on the River” event.
On display was artwork, drawings, music, choir and dancing on three stages throughout the venue.
Jason Thomashefsky, assistant director for arts and activities for Lee County Schools, said they wanted to do something like the annual Artwalk downtown with performances from all the students from Cape Coral and North Fort Myers.
“We have jazz bands, orchestras, dance teams, theater groups and visual arts. We thought we could do an event to showcase the amazing arts programs,” Thomashefsky said. “All our schools have strong, thriving arts programs.”
Thomashefsky said the arts develop the entire child. While reading, math and science are necessary to teach children facts and logic, art allows the child to think creatively. Art also increases test scores.
But the most important thing it does is it gives them a place to belong and it’s the reason most kids go to school, Thomashefsky said.
Along the Caloosahatchee, you could see artwork by Diplomat Elementary School first-graders, the Cape Coral and North Fort Myers high school jazz bands, the Hector Cafferata Elementary choir, and the cloggers at Bayshore Elementary, among others.
Michael Flores-Perez, band director at North, said the district reached out to the West Zone schools.
“I brought our top jazz band to show the community what we were doing,” Flores-Perez said of his 17-member ensemble. “This brings the community together and shows what we’ve been doing and the amount of work these students put in.”
The Patriot Elementary School Choir gave a performance in the ballroom that interjected vocals and choreography that everyone enjoyed, including parents who took photos of their kids in action.
Asya Brister, watched her daughter, who performs as a member of the All-State choir, sing. She said the group did an amazing job.
“It brings me a lot of joy to watch them every year with the amazing music teacher we have,” Brister said. “She has an interest in music and arts, and we want to take that direction for sure.”
Dorothy Yorty, the music teacher at Patriot, said the students had a lot to learn with the music and choreography.
“They achieved it and I’m super proud. Some of the students wanted choreography and some just wanted to sing. We decided to work together like a hand in a glove,” Yorty said.
Janelle Laux, drama teacher at North Fort Myers High School, was also teaching the clogging class at Bayshore Elementary, in which her daughter took part. The tap aspect was lost somewhat due to the stage, but they did well.
“They were amazing today. We changed a lot of songs into Christmas music and they did an outstanding job working together to get those songs done,” Laux said. “The arts provides an outlet for the kids to be creative, work as a team and give them something to do as a group.”