Perpich Students Attend National Art Honor Society Student Conference at NAEA 2024

April 5, 2024

Four junior art students at Perpich attended the first National Art Honor Society Student Conference.

On April 4th, Kathryn D’Elia, Studio Arts Chair and Visual Arts Instructor, brought four junior art students to partake in the first National Art Honor Society Student Conference at the 2024 National Art Education Association National Convention in Minneapolis, MN. The students were selected for their leadership, maturity, and dedication to their artwork. Norah Bell (Visual Arts 2025), Claire Houts (Visual Arts 2025), Julia Uhlenkamp (Visual Arts 2025), and Kayla Williams (Visual Arts 2025) enjoyed an inspiring keynote speech by artist and cartoonist, Lynda Barry, and later participated in a workshop run by Barry where they drew with their eyes closed and from their imaginations in an effort to rekindle the magic of drawing like children, celebrating the unexpected.

Throughout the day, they worked with other students from around the country and spent time assessing what qualities they value in a leader; created a collaborative art piece with muralist, Alice Mizrachi; and received portfolio feedback from College Board AP portfolio judges. They then attended afternoon workshops using watercolor pencils for visual journaling, a Gelli plate printmaking experience, and experimented with image transfers.

For many of the students, National Art Honor Society was a part of their previous schools, and they are very excited to be the founding members of a chapter at Perpich Arts High School. They greatly enjoyed the full day of activities and presentations and bringing those experiences back for their peers.

“This was an incredible experience to share with the students,” said D’Elia. “It was certainly a jam-packed day, but it left me recharged and excited to share and practice all the things discussed and put into practice for our upcoming Perpich chapter of National Art Honor Society.”

Since 1978, the National Art Honor Society Programs support student members in their efforts to attain the highest standards in art scholarship, character, and service. The National Art Honor Society (NAHS) or National Junior Art Honor Society (NJAHS) are more than “art clubs.” Students are required to meet eligibility criteria for membership as detailed in the chapter’s constitution and bylaws. Opportunities for national recognition, scholarships, leadership experience, and connectivity to 50,000+ outstanding arts students worldwide are available to members of an NAHS or NJAHS chapter.