High School Arts Intensive

Program Details

In July, Ragdale hosts High School Arts Week, a multi-day intensive offering 9-12th graders the opportunity to work in the areas of Creative Writing, Visual Art, and Puppetry. Led by a multi-talented group of teaching artists, students will be immersed in day-long activities that engage and enhance their creative skills and develop complete works that can be used in portfolios. Groups are comprised of students who reside from Chicago to Zion. Students are provided lunch and snacks, and present their work in a culminating program at the end of the week. Public transportation (Metra) is provided for those who are interested.

Applications are accepted beginning March 1, with notification taking place in May.

Please Note: High School Arts Week 2020 has been reformatted into an expanded remote learning program in July due to COVID-19, and will be known as High School Arts Intensive for 2020. REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED for this year’s program.

Eligibility:
Ragdale’s High School Arts Intensive is open to students who are rising freshman through seniors who graduated in the 2020 school year. This year, students outside of Illinois (including international students of the same age range, 13-18 yrs. or equivalent grade level) are also eligible. No experience is necessary, just a commitment to the 3-week program and a willingness to work remotely using online conferencing.

Creative Writing: Students participate in online workshops and readings, responding to daily writing prompts with a focus on journals, poetry, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, and fiction.

Creative Writing Section 1 (with Margaret Hawkins)
Monday and Wednesday, July 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, and 29
10:00 -11:00 a.m. and 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. CST

Creative Writing Section 2 (with Quraysh Ali Lansana)
Monday and Wednesday, July 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, and 29
11:00 a.m. -12:00 noon and 2:00-3:00 p.m. CST

Visual Art: An immersive exploration of concepts of site, space and place through guided and independent investigations in art, with an emphasis on drawing with traditional and non-traditional materials. 

Visual Art (with Paulina Camacho Valencia)
Tuesday and Thursday, July 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, and 30
11:00 a.m. -12:00 noon and 2:00-3:00 p.m. CST

Puppetry: Tiny Worlds: Handmade Short Films

Through basic puppetry, film-making, and a good deal of hunting and gathering, students are invited to reexamine the objects in their environment as fodder for storytelling. Participants may use a combination of techniques and a cell phone camera to create a short film piece for a final class screening. Puppetry styles might include papercut, object theater, and shadowplay. We will also be collecting, storyboarding, and finding new methods of filming and lighting with everyday items. Students will have access to an online collection of additional resources, tutorials, and films made by practicing puppeteers. All interested students are welcome.

Puppetry (with K.T. Shivak)
Tuesday and Thursday, July 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, and 30
10:00 -11:00 a.m. and 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. CST