8/29/25 Fine Arts Department News

Fine Arts students were in the spotlight at the August HPISD School Board Meeting! Members of the cast of the Highland Park High School Fall Musical, Pippin, opened the meeting by presenting the HPISD Mission and Vision Statements, and leading the pledges. Raider Band member, Alina Manhas, was honored by the Board as the winner of the District Birthday Card Competition! Alina's art "Birthday Spark" will be featured on the birthday card sent to all HPISD faculty this year.

On May 31st, a 5-person team of MAPS Environmental Architecture students competed in the ULI National Urban Planning competition. Urban Land Institute's Urban Plan is a project-based learning unit in which high school students form a development company and respond to a fictional request for proposal. They plan how to redevelop a distressed district and prepare a company pitch presented to a "city council" of ULI volunteers. The Highland Parkitects won first place! The team pictured below of Avner Magilow, Camden Coale, Jaden Taylor, Rohan Portteus, and Juliana Maambo.

The Highlander Band filled their summer with rehearsals and camps, where students dedicated countless hours to building skills, strengthening teamwork, and preparing for the year ahead. In August, students were proud to debut their 2025 marching production, Am I Dreaming for families and supporters. The band had the opportunity to showcase their talents with the community at District Convocation, Freshmen Camp and HPHS Seniors "Last First Day". The band is looking forward to kicking off football season with the first home game against Rockwall-Heath on August 29th!

Raymond Wu, junior All-State Orchestra member, welcomed teachers back to school during the 2025-2026 HPISD District Convocation at Northway Christian Church. Raymond performed Applemania by Aleksey Igudesman.

6th Graders in visual art classes created line landscapes as part of their elements of art study.

2025 Raider Summer Band Camp was a big success with lots of music and fun! The Annual Swim Party was a hit with all 6th-8th grade band students! The Raider Drumline played for the 5th Grade Girls Blanket Party at Highland Park Presbyterian Church with all the sick beats to start the school year off right!

The Raider Choir has gone interstellar! The MIS/HPMS Choirs had a Star Wars movie social event with friends on Friday, August 2nd. This movie social matches the program and room theme for the year! Mr. Patel and members of the HPHS Choir joined in the fun!

The first full week of school in Tech Theatre was a success! Tech Theatre 1 and 2 class practiced team building and problem solving - two essential skills required in any backstage production. Tech Theatre students were tasked to build the tallest free-standing structure using only marshmallows, spaghetti noodles, and non-verbal communication. Students learned to work quietly and collaboratively backstage with the materials they have available.

To start off the year in Art, 3rd and 4th grade artists at Armstrong explored imaginative ink blot art inspired by The Book of Mistakes. They're learning that mistakes aren't setbacks - they're opportunities! Through this creative exercise they are discovering how "oops" moments can turn into something truly amazing.

Fourth grade students performed ostinato patterns in four different groups. They played xylophones/metallophones, cymbals/finger cymbals, triangles, temple blocks, drums, and rhythm sticks to our rules of the music class.

Kindergarten students at UP are exploring instrument care and sharing while experiencing concepts of creative movement and sound/no sound. Fourth grade students transferred a fun body percussion piece to turbanos.