Neuqua Valley earns Kennedy honor for arts program

Neuqua Valley High School students and staff have known for some time that they've had something special in their fine and performing arts department.

Thursday night, however, those thoughts were validated as the school joined the country's elite arts programs in accepting the distinguished John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts National Schools of Distinction in Arts Education award.

Neuqua Valley was chosen as one of five schools, and the only public school in the country to receive the Kennedy Center award this year.

Barbara Heimerdinger, President of the Illinois Art Education Association, nominated the school this year based on the school's offerings in music, visual arts, drama and dance.

"Neuqua is such an outstanding school, it would not be appropriate to leave them out of the nominations," she said before helping present the award. "They truly have a continuous curriculum for all four art forms and that makes them truly unusual and fabulous at the same time. They just far exceed what we expect to see in our schools."

Principal Bob McBride congratulated the students during the ceremony, held at the same time with The Masterworks concert, featuring freshman performing groups in band, orchestra and choir as well as the Wind Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra and Varsity Singers.

"It's inherent that we're in the business of creating things and I believe that if your in the community dedicated to art, you're closer to being human. You really are," he said. "Congratulations. I'm very proud of our school. Students play on. We're here for you."

Though Neuqua Valley has no fine arts requirement, more than half of the school's population regularly elects to take coursework in the fine and performing arts, a point not lost on Kennedy Center Leadership Committee member Amber Harper.

"I'm here tonight to encourage you to celebrate your award the whole year through," Harper said. "Continue to tell your story all year, for it is a very important one."

Arts: More than half of students take arts classes