Although many students have their own “home” on campus, whether that’s the media lab, the track, the auditorium, or the art room, it’s not always easy for students to be completely focused on their passions and work when they’re sitting in the same environment every day. Being out of one’s everyday element is something that completely generates and initiates creativity.
After winter break, 42 AP art students packed their bags and headed to the beautiful island of Telunas in Indonesia for three days. On this retreat, they worked on their 24-piece AP portfolio. Although this was the main purpose of the trip, much more happened.
Junior and AP art student Lexa Risjad said that her “favorite moment was getting to know the art kids beyond the classroom, and honestly, just doing something I love and enjoy.”
Sophomore and AP art student Hana Matsudaira said, “My favorite moment on the trip surprisingly was the moment when I put my phone onto airplane mode. I didn’t feel the familiar need to check my messages and felt like I could give myself fully to my experience in Telunas.”
Because AP art is such a big class, this trip not only gave the students a chance to get their work done, but also get to know each other in a much more personal and candid way.
Junior Sachi Shah captured the trip perfectly. “The retreat was honestly a really important and empowering trip for all the art students in SAS’s visual arts program; it kind of demonstrated to us that we do matter, and that the art program is recognized and valued. There were tons of cool team bonding activities, and we did things ranging from kayaking in the ocean to sleeping under the stars on the docks. I think as artists, we sometimes need incentive to make great art, and Telunas was that incentive.”
This trip gave the art students a chance to not only work on their craft but also do things with one another they probably wouldn’t be able to do at school.
Creativity isn’t something that is fixed, but rather is something that is flexible and personal. Sometimes, to enhance creativity, it is best to get out of the everyday environment and go somewhere totally new.
“For most of these kids, art makes up a large part of their identity. But when we are home, we hardly have the opportunity to be able to immerse ourselves completely into art,” sophomore and AP art student Hana Matsudaira said.
THE EYE 
I continue to be impressed with the way the SAS community embraces diversity in education – and although important, it’s not always about math and science. Loved your story Rosie. Thanks for sharing it.
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