Every day at AIS, I have the pleasure of seeing artwork displayed proudly in hallways, classrooms, stairwells, and walls. It is amazing to get a glimpse of the way students interpret the world through their eyes. At our school, we have an accomplished group of art teachers that guide and foster our students’ LOVE of beauty in the world. Art is a way for children to express themselves with different mediums. Our children become confident artists in our art program, sharing their masterpieces for the world to enjoy.

In anticipation of our whole-school art exhibition, “Journey,” we are very proud to announce that grade 12 student Scarlett (Yuxuan) Huang has achieved a rare honor for her artistic talent. Principal Mike Wing was recently notified by the College Board that Scarlett’s performance on the AP Studio Art: Drawing Portfolio Exam in May 2018 was so superior that it fell into a select category.

Students in AP Studio Art spend an intensive year creating 24 art pieces for submission to the College Board. AP exams, which include the AP Studio Art portfolios, are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, where a 5 is equivalent to an “A” grade in the corresponding university course. Scarlett not only received a 5 for her work but was also one of only 18 students in the entire world to earn a perfect score.

“I tend to observe my surroundings a lot and find interesting things that can be a potential subject for artwork, or can be translated and modified into a design element. For example, my concentration is fully based on the local MTR. I really like to illustrate details of the subject I’m drawing, so I am more of a realist when it comes to artwork because I just really appreciate the beauty of form of everything. It also challenges my technical skill.”

— Scarlett (Yuxuan) Huang

Scarlett’s AP Art teacher last year, Mrs. Katherine Chiu, says, “I’m so utterly and completely thrilled to hear Scarlett’s wonderful achievement. Scarlett’s achievement is down to her own hard work and practice over many years. I’ve had the huge pleasure of knowing and teaching Scarlett since 2013. Being able to watch her grow as an artist has been truly wonderful. Her dedication to her craft is inspiring to others (including myself!).”

It’s clear to see that art is an important part of Scarlett’s life and she continues to put a lot of time and effort into improving her skills. We could not be more proud of her accomplishment, and to see her years of dedication be recognized. We’re glad AIS got to be part of her artistic journey!

You can view some of Scarlett’s art here, and, if you want to see more of AIS’s budding artistic talent on display, be sure to come to our whole school art exhibition! The opening ceremony will be held on May 28th from 3:15-5:00pm, and general viewing will be open from 3:15 to 5:00pm May 28-30.