Calipatria students bolster their skills in the visual and performing arts

Students sang, acted and showcased their artistic talents Friday at the first-ever Calipatria Academy of Visual And Performing Arts showcase at Calipatria High School.

In addition to singing and acting, the 14 students in the 10-day summer program engaged in art projects in graphic design and crafts, as well as created a short film about a phone application that made everyone around nicer people.

“CAVAPA was funded by the Imperial Valley Community Foundation through the Mad Drama Club,” Luanna Helena, CAVAPA program director, Mad Drama Club founder and acting teacher through the program, said. “Over the two weeks students met three hours a day. (Friday) their artwork was on display and they sang some songs,” she said.

Helena said the reason for the program was to expose the students to different types of art as well as build their confidence by gaining performance experience.

“There’s not a lot of opportunity for performing arts during the regular school year so it’s done mostly extracurricularly,” she said, saying that some students go out of town for certain programs. “(The program) gives them the opportunity to gauge their interests. They can start making choices and see where their creativity, gifts and talents actually lie,” she said.

Helena said the students also got to enjoy a field trip to the Timken Museum of Art and San Diego State University in San Diego in order to “be exposed to higher education,” she said.

The singers and filmsters said they enjoyed this artsy little slice of the summer.

“I want to sing because I like it,” said 10-year-old Emanuel Garcia, an incoming fifth-grader at Bill E. Young Middle School. “I wanted to be in the program because it was fun,” Emanuel, CAVAPA’s youngest member, said. “I like singing and acting because I can become famous,” he said.

“This was my first week acting,” said 17-year-old Calipatria High School student Ruben Hernandez, of Niland. “(When I’m acting) I feel like I’m somebody else. Wearing that wig was pretty crazy,” he said of his role as a female in one skit.

Helena said even if the students do not continue with the visual and performing arts she hopes they can use the bit of creativity, which they have started to explore, in the future.

“I hope they take that can-do attitude into other school subjects,” she said. “If they have the ability to do it now maybe they can think, ‘Well, I can do it again,’” she said.

This sentiment was not lost on budding filmmaker and Niland resident Ryan Perez.

“I’ve been filming for a long time,” the 19-year-old Imperial Valley College student said. “I never thought of pursuing it but if I had a chance I would take it,” he said.

For more information on arts programs in the Calipatria area or to make a donation for the nonprofit Mad Drama Club, visit www.maddramaclub.com or contact Luanna Helena at luanna@maddramaclub.com