Saugus Union School District officials presented their third annual Festival of the Arts on Friday, June 7 at Grace Baptist Church.* It showcased the artwork and poetry of elementary school students within the district and provided performances by Saugus Union School District choral members and Honors Orchestra.

Saugus Union School District elementary schools selected art pieces in the form of graphic art designs, ceramic pieces and poetry pertaining to the theme of “Time.” Many students submitted their artwork with the incentive that if selected, their artwork would be on display at the festival.

Three pieces of art were selected in total: one from primary grades (kindergarten to second grade), one from middle grades (third to fourth grades) and one from upper grades (fifth to sixth grades) from each school.

Saugus Union School District staff, parents and school officials voted for which artworks would be selected and featured at the festival.

“I was truly astonished at all the students’ work. It was so incredible how advanced these students were for their age. The fervent efforts of these students were so apparent and noticeable,” said Sue Guinn, Saugus Union School District clerk.

“The students, their teachers and the musical directors invested so much time in preparation for this event,” according to her statement.

Saugus Union School District choral members, composed of multi-age groups ranging from grades kindergarten to sixth grade, sang three selections under the direction of North Park Elementary School teacher Megan Heavens and Bridgeport Elementary School teacher Carla Bellefeuille.

The Honors Orchestra, under the direction of Jeff Gilbert and Troy King, presented three selections as well. Auditions were held in late February for students to become eligible to perform as a part of the Honors Orchestra at this festival.

Each elementary school within the district selected one poet to recite their poetry at the festival in front of the audience. Students were encouraged to submit their poems for approval by late April.

More than 700 people attended the festival and nearly 200 students (18 poets, 32 musicians, 52 artists and 128 singers) from across the Saugus Union School District participated in making this event a reality. Event sponsors, such as the Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation Grant, Carmichael- Kemp Architects, and the SUSD PTA/PTO/PFO site organization, additionally made this festival possible.

For more information on the Saugus Union School District, visit http://www.saugususd.org or call 661-294-5300.

*The Saugus Union School District has no affiliation with Grace Baptist Church.

– Luzzei Tsuji