By Megan Erbacher
The Message assistant editor
What started as a gap in Corpus Christi School’s junior high schedule led to the development of a new innovative class, which educators said is a hit with students.
During the annual Back-to-School gathering Aug. 3, which was held virtually this year to practice safe social-distancing because of COVID-19 Assistant Superintendent of Catholic Schools Michelle Priar announced Corpus Christi School as the recipient of the Catholic Educator Innovative Award for the successful creation and implementation of their Fine Arts Technology class.
Priar congratulated Corpus Christi School educators, administrators and staff for their efforts. The Evansville school, located on the city’s west side, is a preschool-through-eighth-grade facility.
For several years, the Catholic Education Office has awarded the Catholic Educator Innovative Award. The honor is given to an educator or groups of educators within the diocese who demonstrate successful innovative and creative efforts in the classroom or school building.
Priar said they received many applications throughout the course of the school year.
“We certainly appreciate the creativity and innovation that comes from all of you,” she said.
Priar explained Corpus Christi’s new course to educators from all 26 Catholic Diocese of Evansville schools during the annual Back-to-School event, which officially kicked-off the 2020-2021 school year.
At the beginning of last school year, Priar said a gap was noticed in Corpus Christi’s junior high schedule that needed to be filled. What started as a small tweak in the schedule turned into the Fine Arts Technology class. A Sponsorship of the Arts grant from the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana helped Corpus Christi purchase new technology equipment, including a green screen.
Through the Fine Arts Technology class, students become producers, directors, writers and even actors in their own commercials. Priar said students also learn how to think creatively, delegate tasks, create working plans complete with troubleshooting, and develop new technology skills.
Priar gave some examples of the commercials students created last school year, which included helping market Corpus Christi School, thanking the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana for the “generous grant,” and recognizing their school’s “famous lunch ladies.”
The new class also helped students learn about possible careers in the fields of communications, fine arts and technology.
Corpus Christi’s first day of school for the 2020-2021 school year was Aug. 5.
Most Diocese of Evansville Catholic School students returned to the classroom this week, while the remainder of schools will start next week.