The Rye Arts Center created the High School Arts Council (HSAC) in 2009, furthering our mission is to inspire interest and maximum participation in the arts in Westchester and the surrounding region. The RAC partners with twenty-one regional high schools, each of which nominate two students to participate in the HSAC each year. Students who participate are leaders in their schools and very involved in the visual, performing, theater, and/or literary arts. The High School Arts Council enables participants to gain leadership experience outside of school, collaborate with students from across the region, learn about careers in the arts, serve as liaisons between their schools and The RAC, and volunteer in their community.

The 2009-10 inaugural year of the High School Arts Council was a resounding success! Throughout the 2009-2010 season, the HSAC planned a two-part service project to benefit Pleasantville Cottage School, a residential high school for students who have experienced significant trauma in their lives. The service project consisted of the following:

1. Art supply drives at local high schools: HSAC members conducted drives for new and gently used art and music supplies, instruments, and books at their high schools throughout March and April 2010. All collected items were brought to The Rye Arts Center, at which time the HSAC sorted and packed the items. On May 13, the HSAC personally delivered the supplies to Pleasantville students.

2. Working on a group art project with Pleasantville students: When the HSAC dropped off supplies to Pleasantville, they also spent two hours having a pizza party and working with Pleasantville students to make banners for their annual walk-a-thon, held in May.

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In addition to the service project, HSAC members have enjoyed hearing from a range of professional artists in our speaker series, which is coordinated by Terri Prettyman Bowles. 2009-10 speakers were:

• Michelle Sanchez-Boyce, owner of a boutique design firm and a former music executive.
• Alison Cimmet, an actress who does theater and television.
• Marion Schneider, formerly the Senior Art Director for packaging at PepsiCo.

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The 2010-11 program will begin in September and go through May. We are looking forward to another successful year.