Since 1961, March has been celebrated as National Youth Art Month, and ushers in an opportunity to bring appreciation to the creative minds of young artists.

Youth Art Month is currently being celebrated by artists, students, and teachers. The purpose of Youth Art Month, as put by the Council for Art Education, is to “encourage support for quality school art programs, and promote art material safety.” At Potomac Falls, artists have a plethora of opportunities to share their work with the school community. The National Art Honor Society, or NAHS is putting together different methods for the Potomac Falls community to embrace Youth Art Month. 

One NAHS member, sophomore Claire McMahan, discussed why art is meaningful to her, and why she thinks it is important for students to have the chance to appreciate art. McMahan started getting into art through following Bob Ross tutorials, but since then she has become a leader in the Art community at Potomac Falls.

“Having an opportunity to practice art in class has definitely improved my technical skill level, however I think I’ve learned more about my personal style and the message of my art from my friends and peers,” said McMahan.

To celebrate the month, NAHS will be holding events through school that will give students a variety of ways to get involved. This includes letting students draw on a mural during lunch as well as holding open studio time for students to get creative after school. 

The art program at Potomac Falls has fostered amazing results from students. With artists who have submitted their work into scholastic competitions and won various awards. The talent held by Potomac Falls students can be seen throughout the main hallway of the school as well, with different pieces of artwork displayed on the walls with information about the piece and artist displayed below. 

McMahan emphasized the importance of art programs in schools, something that Youth Art Month highlights. “Having a good arts program in schools is super important because it gives kids an outlet for personal expression and gives them an opportunity to grow and thrive,” said McMahan.

On top of giving students an outlet for expression, the various art classes offered at Potomac Falls also allow artists to find a community similar to themselves, where they can appreciate their interests but also learn from their differences. McMahan believes that the passion Potomac Falls’ art students have can be seen in their willingness to learn about new elements of their art, and their acceptance of criticism when necessary. 

“Seeing kids show up every day to art class willing to be critiqued and wanting to better themselves really inspires me,” said McMahan. 

McMahan feels that getting to practice art in school has supplemented her technical skills, and that getting to participate in art around her friends and peers has allowed her to develop her personal artistic style.