New Frontiers School Board (NFSB) students gathered on the Chateauguay Valley Regional High School stage for ArtsFest, which is the annual board-wide celebration of arts education, on April 17.
NFSB director general Mike Helm introduced the theme for this year’s show as “Unity in Diversity.”
“It is wonderful to see so many here tonight to celebrate our community!” he exclaimed. “The arts hold a special place in education,” he noted, while suggesting the skills students build through the arts will serve them “far beyond the stage.”
The hosts for the evening, Melody Deschênes and Keyla Lafebvre, introduced each of the performances.
School choirs and glee clubs from each school performed a selection of one or two songs, while a video featuring different art projects produced throughout the year by students played on the big screen behind them.
The evening ended with a performance by the always-spectacular NFSB mass choir, which includes all the student performers. Under the direction of music specialist and NFSB arts consultant Lynn Harper, the students performed two uplifting songs, including I’m a Star from the movie Wish, and Waka, Waka! This Time for Africa by Shakira.
In the program notes, Harper reminded the audience of the common language shared between the arts. On behalf of the NFSB, she thanked her fellow music specialists, arts specialists, choir directors, and their administrators. “These young stars would not be able to shine without the support of many individuals working together,” she explained, while also thanking the NFSB REDI committee, the CVR technical crew, and the school custodial staff.