Photo by Daniel Ashlock

VAPA+ club gathers for their weekly Thursday lunch meetings to prepare for the Kaleidoscope festival.

VAPA+ is a club at Missions Hills that focuses on supporting the artistic side of the school and promoting classes in the VAPA department. The club members work together each year to host an annual Kaleidoscope festival, celebrating visual works of art and hosting performances for the drama and music departments.
This year’s theme is “Rooted in Discovery,” which places emphasis on discovering personal artistic styles and expressing oneself through creativity. Many students in VAPA+ are adamant that it’s a valuable experience for all involved and will leave those who join with no regrets.
“I think that more people should join VAPA+ because it is a club focused on creating and propelling the art community. To be able to have the freedom of creative expression can transform a campus,” said senior Izzy Brousseau.
Brousseau is the Marketing Team Lead in VAPA+ and strives to make as many students as possible aware of the wonders of the club and visual and performing arts, while also maintaining a firm belief that the club fosters an open environment for innovation and imagination.
“It creates a nourishing environment that encourages students to let their voices be heard, no matter what form those voices may take: culinary, drawing, ceramics, music, dance, etc. I would argue teaching students to let their creativity free is one of the most valuable lessons you can teach,” said Brousseau.
The festival and gallery are not the only ways VAPA+ promotes the self-expression of MHHS students; they will also be hosting an awards ceremony, lunch performances and activities, and creating murals around school that represent students on the campus, like they have done in the past.
Some members are returning members, while others, like junior Editor-in-Chief of Video Production and VAPA+ Marketing Team member Savannah Stephens, are joining for the first time this year after being inspired by its work.
“Last year, I was nominated for drama, and [this year I] really just wanted to help others experience the recognition I felt joining VAPA+. I also wanted to do my part as someone with experience in video to help spread information to others who would love the opportunity,” said sophomore Stephens.
To aid their movement of acknowledging Mission Hills student artists, VAPA+ will be having a fundraiser on April 3 at Chipotle to raise money for the program. Up until then, though, the club will be working hard to make sure the festival wows all who witness it.
“We have organized into groups that each focus on [one] aspect of Kaleidoscope in order to have this event run smoothly and showcase the talent of Mission Hills High School,” said VAPA+ co-president Adriel Bibiano. “I enjoy communicating with other artists that express themselves [with] other art forms than my own.
Bibiano is also on the physical awards team, which will be giving out many different awards to commemorate the hard work of aspiring artists from all over MHHS.
All of the work the members of the club put into the festival and other VAPA commodities year-round evidentiates the value of art and its scholarly impact.
The Kaleidoscope festival will be held May 20-25, and all students are welcome to attend and observe the tremendous effort artists have put into their craft.