As the course registration season continues, some students worry that taking a required fine arts class during their senior year could prevent them from participating in May Project. 

While this myth about art and May Project has circulated U-High for years, May Project coordinators say that most seniors should be able to participate fully in May Project as long as they plan ahead and complete all required coursework — though they encourage students to earn their art credit before senior year to fully explore the department’s offerings.

The fine arts department’s May Project policy is “class dependent.” For some classes, seniors who have not already completed their one art credit must complete 14 hours of work. It is recommended that seniors complete these hours before May so they don’t have to come in during May Project.

Art teacher Brian Wildeman believes the hours help students fully gain the benefits of the class.

“By coming in outside of class, they get themselves caught up skill-wise,” Mr. Wildeman wrote in an email to the Midway. “This enables them to get more out of the class both in terms of what they produce and in terms of their own feeling of accomplishment and artistic confidence.” 

For art teacher Devin Wideman, May Project is a time to fully immerse in a passion, so he doesn’t require students to complete hours. However, he does encourage seniors to try and incorporate art into their project.

“For me personally, I don’t want to be made out to be the bad guy, so I’m not going to tell a senior they can’t go on May Project,” Mr. Wideman said, “but I will encourage them to maybe explore that art in their May Project.”

Mr. Wideman also encourages students to take art before their senior year, both so that they can continue into advanced classes if they develop a passion for an art form, and because art classes provide a relaxed environment.

“I think it is really important to allow yourself to be creative, at least in some capacity, and taking an art class is a really great way to do that,” Mr. Wideman said.

Grace LaBelle, who is taking her art credit as a senior, doesn’t mind coming in to complete hours during May. In fact, Grace is glad that she took art as a senior, as it provided a break in her schedule.

Grace said, “Once you get to the other side of senior year, art is just like a nice hobby.”