Theatre. In college I plan to acquire my Bachelors in Fine Arts, hopefully at a University that supports the development of well rounded performers. Now, with that out of the way, it is important that I mention that my intention for this article lies not in acquiring pity for the arts, nor to inspire you to pursue the arts; that is not my prerogative. However, it does intrigue me that often those who question the importance of art are usually the exact individuals who fail to recognize the art which they unknowingly produce.

For example, in a high school environment, we have all felt the cultural opposition between sports and the arts. It is to no one’s surprise that the football team isn’t storming the auditorium during the spring musical, just as the art club doesn’t systematically raid the bleachers of a wrestling match. It has become a social norm to disregard varying aspects of our own student body, simply because we feel incredibly dissimilar and uninspired by their efforts.

But what if the societal caste system, under which many of us operate, is completely skewed and the personal interests of every member of the MHS student body could be conceptualized into a single category: art.

Every hour that the basketball team plays with integrity, builds strength and crafts teamwork: art.

Every day that the robotics club analyzes machinery, instills innovation and reinvents reality: art.

Every year a musician dimensionalizes sound, implements technique and challenges personal boundaries: art.

The cohesiveness of our school, of our community, lies in our individual ability to respect each other. With mutual respect for the art of another, nothing can stand against a student body that supports one another, solely because we are all bound by our expressive strengths, and appreciative of one another because of our artistic differences.

Just as a teacher passionately inspires, and a mathematician seamlessly deciphers, I plan to graduate college and continue to master my craft every single day, for the rest of my life.

To the individual who commits physically, mentally, emotionally to a body of work: you, my friend, are an artist.