When the SASD Music Department let it be known that they needed some branding help, the art department was glad to assist. With it's 14th Annual Evening of Jazz event approaching, the Music Department had something special in mind: getting out big crowds to benefit the Shippensburg Arts and Athletics Council. Art students in the high school's Digtal Graphic Design course developed a design questionnaire and collaborated with the district's music educators to develop exciting imagery for the event.

Eventually, 11 sample posters were sent to the music department's representatives who had some tough choices on their hands. Junior Emily McMichael's trumpet design was selected as the image to represent the event. It was reproduced in posters, flyers, and electronic publications, and was hand-painted on a 10 foot by 16 foot cloth backdrop for the concert. Emily and members of the National Art Honor Society spent many hours, both after school and over weekends, laying out and painting the piece.

McMichael is a past president of the high school's National Art Honor Society chapter, is the Vice-President of the SASHS Drama Club and is their lead set painter. She was recognized for her logo design at the March 10th Evening of Jazz by music teacher Mark Wilson.

It's not every day that a high school art class gets to work side-by-side with a best-selling illustrator, but that's just what happened at SASHS during the first week of March 2014!.

Illustrator Amy June Bates has 20 years and more than 50 books worth of experience in illustration. Educated at Brigham Young University, Amy has worked for many well-known publishing houses throughout her career and has illustrated poetry books, political and other biographies, classic tales, and just about every other kind of children's book you can imagine.

The artist's week long artist-in-residency program was made possible through a mini-grant from the Shippensburg Area School District Foundation. While at SASHS, Mrs. Bates worked primarily with Mr. Martin's Digital Graphic Design Class, but also met with various levels of drawing and design classes and presented to the English Department's Children's Literature classes and the National Art Honor Society chapter.

Bates joined in daily instruction, informal and formal critiques, and discussed thoughts on art careers and schooling with both individuals and groups of art students. While at the school, she created art and explored some ideas for her next illustration project, and provided insight into her dealings with publishers.

"Thanks so much for such a wonderful week. Your students are amazing, and I know it is the cheesiest thing, but they taught ME.  I honestly keep thinking about them and so many little things that happened all during the week. Unforgettable," said Bates in a recent email.

See Amy June Bates’ work at www.amybates.com and www.amyjunebates.blogspot.com