On Tuesday, April 12^th, Mr. Stewart’s AP Art History and Literature and the Arts students showed off their artsy knowledge for the Dali Museum’s teen docent program. According to a previous article on the Warrior Record website, each teen docent focused on a single painting, and went through a 17-week training that included “15 two-hour lectures, three written tests, and a final mini-tour examination,” according to docent Oliver Allen, 11^th grade.

Jennifer Bodine, 11^th grade, was one of the teen docents. She felt Dali docent night went well, saying “There were tons of people and they all seemed genuinely interested in learning about the paintings.” Her favorite part was “having free reign of a world class museum.” Jennifer said she also enjoyed working with two of the curators for the Dali Museum. Jennifer also had some advice for future docents, telling them to “pick paintings that they already like or at least like to look at. No one wants to give a presentation on something they can’t stand.”

Kaitlyn Kennedy, 9^th grade, was another teen docent. “I think I was well-prepared,” Kaitlyn said of her performance, “and I am confident that I was able to educate the visitors about the painting I presented.” When asked her favorite part of the docent experience, Kaitlyn said “I loved learning about Dali and his paintings.” Kaitlyn also felt the docent experience allowed her to improve her public speaking skills. Her advice to future teen docents: “Go for it! The teen docent program is an amazing experience – perfect for anyone who is interested in art.”

Some teachers were also present at the Dali Docent night. Chemistry teacher Ms. Alvarez felt the teen docents “did a great job,” being impressed that the docents were prepared enough to answer any question about Dali or the painting they were presenting. “It was obvious that they did their research,” Alvarez said. “They knew not only about the painting but also about Dali’s life that led to his work.” World History Ms. Colton was also in attendance, and called the teen docents “outstanding”, saying she was very impressed by their “depth of knowledge”, and their passion and interest in the topic. “The students’ enthusiasm and personal interest in the artwork was infectious, it truly wanted me (and others) to delve into the world of Dali,” Colton said. “They truly were inspiring!”

Finally, Mr. Stewart was pleased with the performance of the Dali docents. “The Dali Teen Docents had studied Dali and surrealism since October, and their hard work paid off,” Stewart said. “They impressed everyone with their knowledge, enthusiasm and skill.” Stewart called this year’s docents “an exceptional group of young people,” explaining that “They were dedicated, bright, and willing to go beyond the usual to learn and to expand their worldview.  What more could a teacher want?”

Gallery • 4 Photos