At Wharton Elementary School, learning isn’t limited to textbooks or test scores, it’s about expression, exploration, and helping students find their voice. On Wednesday, May 21, that spirit was on full display during the annual Night of the Arts.
A spring tradition, this event brought families, staff, and students together for an evening that blended performance and visual art into one joyful showcase. From the colorful sea-themed hallway murals to the carefully crafted sculptures and student-led musical performances, every element of the night served as a reminder of the power of the arts to uplift and unite a school community.
The night began with a packed house in the auditorium for the much-anticipated first-grade musical, The Cheese Stands Alone, a story about difference, loneliness, and what it means to be included. The performance used the familiar nursery rhyme “The Farmer in the Dell” as a foundation, reimagined into a narrative about a piece of cheese who feels isolated from the other characters. “It’s a story that helps our students reflect on what it means to belong, and how we can be the ones to invite others in,” said first-grade teacher Shavonne Scott.
Through music, narration, and movement, students developed literacy through script reading, voice projection, and listening comprehension. Even more importantly, they practiced teamwork, empathy, and self-expression.
The musical was an opportunity for students to build practical skills through the arts. Preparing for the performance meant reading and memorizing lines, practicing active listening, projecting their voices with clarity, and learning how to work as an ensemble. “We always say we’re teaching the whole child, and this is exactly what that looks like,” said Scott. “They’re developing literacy through storytelling, communication through performance, and confidence by stepping onto a stage. I’m just so proud of them.”
Following the musical, families were treated to performances by Wharton’s Glee Club and Drum Circle. The Glee Club, made up of students in upper elementary grades, performed songs that were interspersed with short, original speeches written by the students themselves. The topics included friendship, empathy, and emotional awareness. These reflections were student-authored messages rooted in their own experiences navigating school, community, and personal growth.
The Drum Circle brought a physical, rhythmic energy to the room. Students showcased collaborative beats and coordinated sequences, inviting the audience to feel the pulse of the performance. Watching students move in rhythm, one could see how music instruction builds not only musical skills but also discipline, patience, and mutual respect.
And then, just up the stairwell, a completely different experience awaited.
The upstairs hallway had been transformed into a full-scale gallery, showcasing artwork from every student in grades K–5. Art teacher Jen Ashcroft had organized a display of color, texture, and storytelling. The theme, Under the Sea, was inspired by her own hand-painted mural of Ursula from The Little Mermaid, located at the end of the hallway. What began as a creative spark became the anchor for an entire school-wide art project that incorporated elements of marine life, tropical environments, and imaginative sea creatures.
Students created detailed sea turtles, penguins, lizards, sloths, jellyfish, and coral reef scenes in a range of media, from 2D drawing and painting to papier-mâché and clay sculpture. “Some of these projects were started before I even had the theme,” Ashcroft shared. “But I found ways to weave it all together. I wanted every student to have a piece in the show, and to feel proud of what they made.”
Ashcroft, who has been teaching for two decades, spoke about how her classroom functions as a refuge for students who need a different kind of outlet. “Not every student finds their stride in math or reading,” she said. “But when they come to art, they light up. They feel successful. They feel seen. That matters.”
For many of these students, the Night of the Arts may be the first time their work is publicly displayed. For some, it may be the first time they perform on stage. And for others still, it may be the moment they discover they are good at something they didn’t know they could do. That sense of discovery of trying something new, sharing it, and seeing others appreciate it is at the core of why this event matters so deeply to the Wharton community.
The evening was a celebration of growth, identity, and the many ways students learn to express themselves. Through drawing, singing, drumming, acting, and speaking, students showed their families and educators not only what they’ve learned, but who they’re becoming.
And while the musical numbers and sculptures may be what people remember most, the lasting impact of Night of the Arts lives in the quieter moments: a parent pointing out their child’s sea turtle on the wall, a student glowing with pride after their final bow, a sibling watching wide-eyed as the drums echo through the room. These are the moments that make arts education not just meaningful, but essential.
At Wharton, the arts are not seen as extra, they are integral to who students are and how they learn. And Night of the Arts is a powerful reminder of what happens when we give students the tools, the space, and the encouragement to show us what they can do.
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