DWSA holds first gaming tournament; winner takes home laptop

Forty-six graduating seniors at the Denzel Washington School of the Arts were cheered and congratulated by their families, friends and educators on Tuesday during a commencement ceremony where they heard speeches that evoked nostalgia and friendly advice for the future.

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Denzel Washington School of the Arts held its Senior Awards Convocation on Friday evening – with valedictorian Charlotte Watson and salutatorian Elizabeth deGrandpre receiving an impressive, combined total of 26 honors between them.

Last week, several groups of students at Denzel Washington School of the Arts completed collaborative “StickTogether” projects in the Denzel Washington Library. Students worked on the StickTogether, which replicated Vermeer's painting, "The Girl with the Pearl Earring." StickTogether projects promote mindfulness and positive teamwork. Eighth graders Liliana Oliveras and Anna McKoy were two of the many students who worked on these projects.

Juniors and seniors at Denzel Washington School of the Arts engaged in an informative Law Day presentation with a judge and an attorney on Thursday. Mount Vernon City Court Judge Tamika A. Coverdale and City of Mount Vernon Corporation Counsel Brian G. Johnson focused their presentation on the United States Constitution. Law Day is celebrated to recognize the importance of the law in our society, and the presentation shed light on the impact of the Constitution on all Americans.

Denzel Washington School of the Arts Orchestra majors were visited by the Terra String Quartet, the Yale School of Music’s fellowship ensemble-in-residence, on Monday morning. Learning directly from professionals provides students with enriching first-hand experiences that give them a deeper understanding of their classroom learning by seeing, and practicing, the methods in which experts use their knowledge. 

Denzel Washington School of the Arts students displayed their performing and creative writing skills at the annual Poetry Slam on Thursday afternoon. Students recited their original poems as well as performing songs by a variety of artists in numerous genres. Each performer was met with an applause of claps and snaps.

Congratulations to all the outstanding performers!

Click here to view the full video of the Poetry Slam on Facebook.

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For the month of March, Denzel Washington School of the Arts Library Media Specialist, Diana Wendell, inspired students to get excited about reading with a March Book Madness Challenge! Each week, middle and high school students were encouraged to vote for their favorites in the bracket.  This event started during National Read Across America Week. DWSA’s March Book Madness was part of a national program started by two school librarians: https://marchbookmadness.weebly.com/

The Denzel Washington School of the Arts Gospel Choir sang their hearts out at Gospel Night last Friday under the direction of Creative Executive Director Angela Hall and Teacher Tanya Mack. Guest artists included Pastor Damon Mack & L.I.V. E. Nation, Joan Myers and Rich Tolbert, Jr. The celebration of gospel music featured soul stirring performances and a spiritual experience which charged the audience with energy!

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