Written By: Alina Gomez, Staff Writer
THE ARTS: An end-of-the-year event to showcase all of Poly’s projects in the Visual and Performing Arts.
It’s Poly Palooza Season! This year’s gathering is meant to highlight our performing arts classes as we all come together to see their work and take part in the night’s entertainment. Poly Palooza began right after school at 3:30 AM and lasted until 7:00 PM, giving parents and students plenty of time to enjoy the music, art, and dance. Students from each program set up their stage or get into costume, preparing for their performance of the exhibition that will all be revealed throughout the night.
To start the installation, first thing as you enter Poly, anything and everything to do with painting, ceramics, or creating was found near the 700s Quad. The 700s Hallway is where students’ hand-painted artwork was displayed, the walls were overflowing with unique perspectives and creativity. Not to mention, there was a fair share of extraordinary 3D artworks that covered themes of environmentalism and climate change.
Here is a 3D piece focusing on today’s destructive practices and Earth’s air quality. You can even see the middle portrait of a heart suffering and isolated, due the negligence and disregard our government has for minimizing the carbon footprint.
And these were just the beginning. Included in this hallway was a distinctively grand piece of our stars that was crocheted together meticulously by our students. It even had working lights to portray the constellations beautifully, transporting the viewer into the night sky that they portrayed. Many people gathered up to view these works of art, the hallway was overflowing with people eager to get a glimpse at the art.
During this year’s Poly Palooza, Culinary was set up outside in the 700s Quad where they were handing out free ice cream and nachos!
Many students and family lined up for a taste of the food. If anyone would had doubts about gastronomy being an artform, they wouldn’t have after trying the nachos so graciously prepared by the students working the stand. These snacks also acted as a much appreciated treat to be enjoyed while onlookers went on to watch the rest of the night’s performances.
Next, moving closer to the Cafeteria, that is where students and families could find the artists hard at work touching up their chalk art for the upcoming competition. This was the first year Poly has decided to include a chalk display, taking inspiration from our city’s annual Chalk Day event, where students travel to Downtown Riverside and create masterpieces with chalk on the streets for everyone to enjoy.
From start to finish, these students worked on their drawings, doing everything from sketching to blending, leaving their clothes stained in colorful chalk.
Walking towards the Bear Den is where our very own Show Choir had an outstanding performance of song and dance; everyone looked and sounded amazing, dancing perfectly in sync as the crowd was mesmerized by the performance.
But Show Choir wasn’t the only music group set to perform that evening, as the orchestra and band produced beautiful harmonies, derived from a set list that left everyone wanting more.
Poly Palooza is more than just a celebration, it is a vibrant showcase to display all of Poly students talents among the performing arts community. It varies from musical theatre performances to the creativity and artistic hand of kids. As the shows have begun to wrap up for this year, the passion and dedication to the arts continues through every student that contributed to this year’s fantastic Poly Palooza.