CHICAGO, May 8, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of students, teachers and parents made
their way across the Midwest to the Copernicus Center on
May 4 for the 16th annual Art &
Language Festival. Schools within Concept Schools's network came
together to marvel at the work their students put months of effort
into––and it did not disappoint.
In a day filled with live performances and deep appreciation of
world cultures, Concept Schools was proud to expand on its vision
of providing students platforms to express themselves through
various art forms.
"It's important for students to have confidence in themselves,"
Concept Schools President and CEO Sedat
Duman said. "ALF is providing that confidence and courage
they need to be successful in life. Concept Schools exists to help
students reach their full potential and they are able to develop
their communication skills at ALF."
Before participating at the event, students had to submit videos
of what they would perform if selected to be a part of ALF. Those
who were invited to join this year showcased their talents through
singing songs in different languages, interpretive dance, classical
music, spoken word and more.
Students like Horizon School Academy McKinley Park's
Maya Carmona and Noble Academy
Cleveland's Noelle Willis
electrified the crowd with their vocal performances of "La Llorona"
and "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom". Sarayah
Wisneski from Indiana Math and Science Academy North also
shared a touching spoken word piece about how she has overcome her
mental health struggles and hopes to inspire others to share their
story.
"I love that we can (attend ALF) because some people can
struggle with sharing their emotions," Wisneski said. "Maybe if
they see someone else doing it on stage they will feel more
comfortable stepping up and talking about it."
HSA Cincinnati's cheer team also had the crowd going with its
dance routine at the end of the event. The group, which has
generated an audience of over 8,000 followers on TikTok since it
created an account last fall, used ALF as an opportunity to
practice their arrangement for future competitions.
"They were really excited to get to come here and perform," said
music teacher Liliana Carpenter, who
supervises the team. "We normally cheer for basketball games which
is very different than a dance routine so we put a lot of time and
effort into all of the little details to make it really great for
the audience."
Outside of the on-stage performances, over a hundred pieces of
artwork were displayed throughout the building. The exhibition,
which included sculptures, paintings and sketches, was a testament
to the brilliance of the young artists within Concept Schools's
network.
"I was blown away by everything in here today," said one parent
in attendance. "The creativity of these kids at their age is
inspiring."
ALF will be back in 2025, and Concept Schools looks forward to
seeing what its students bring to the table after a wonderful
spectacle this year.
"The event today was amazing," said IMSA North's art teacher
Paige Thompson. "That's what I love
about events like these: the kids are just able to come out of
their shell, blossom and show you what they got."
About Concept Schools
Over the last 25 years, Concept Schools has provided schools
across the Midwest with comprehensive operational services critical
for student success. Concept's award-winning public charter school
network consists of over 30 schools and delivers first-class,
STEM-focused opportunities for over 14,000 students. Families have
chosen Concept for decades because of its dedication to empowering
students in and out of the classroom. For more information, visit
conceptschools.org.
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SOURCE Concept Schools