Baltimore School For The Arts Students To Showcase Talents At Signature Expressions Gala
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Students at the Baltimore School for the Arts are hard at work preparing for their biggest fundraiser of the year.
The school's signature Expressions gala kicks off Thursday night, showcasing talented students from as young as second grade all the way up to high school seniors.
"It's an event where you really get to see everything that we do: the dance, the theater, music, visual art, all of that in one evening," said Mark Hardy, the school's director of choral activities.
To celebrate the school's 40th birthday, this year's gala's theme is "Forty and Flourishing."
"This whole year has been a celebration of our place in the community and what we've been doing and what we hope to continue doing, which is offer great arts training to students in Baltimore city," Hardy said.
The students putting on the show aren't just your average students: each and every one shares a passion for the arts, balancing academics plus a four-hour arts program each day.
Despite the intense workload, the students said it's worth every second.
"It's how I express myself," senior Fiona Cunningham-Murray said. "It just makes me so happy; whenever I'm performing is just when I feel the best about myself."
"It's very therapeutic, no matter how I feel, it speaks to me and it helps me speak to people," senior Jasmine Foreman said.
After countless hours of practicing for the school's biggest fundraiser, the students said they're ready to show off their talents to the rest of Baltimore.
"I'm just very excited for people to see what this school can do," Cunningham-Murray said.
The fundraiser runs through Sunday; for more information, click here.