UPDATE: Canton-Sixes Patch talked to Hasty Elementary School Principal Izell McGruder about the upcoming event and how Hasty is meshing art in the classroom.

"Arts integration has provided many wonderful opportunities for our school community," McGruder said. "We have seen an increase in student engagement where students are active, rather than passive learners."

McGruder personally believes that arts integration allows students to display their knowledge through less conventional media such as poetry, song, and dance. 

Fine Arts Day allows the outside community to observe how Hasty's faculty and staff marry the arts with more traditional subjects like math and social studies. Fine Arts Day also gives the faculty, staff, and students the opportunity to show off their talents to a wider audience.

"Our teachers and students are thrilled to showcase their achievement in integrating visual arts, dance, music, and theatre into the core curriculum," McGruder said. 

ORIGINAL STORY: Hasty Elementary Fine Arts Academy will be hosting a Fine Arts Day on the campus between 8 a.m. and noon on Thursday, March 28.

The fine arts academy, analagous to a STEM academy, focuses on high academic achievement but specialises in an education in the arts. Hasty Elementary and Oak Grove Elementary are the two fine arts academies in Cherokee County.

Hasty Elementary's fine arts academy has been a source of entertainment for the county, delighting faculty and parents alike at the academy's inaugural Fall Expo in October, 2012.

The young students have also proven to be very civic minded, as well. During the 2012 presidential campaign, Hasty first-grade students wanted to hold an election of their own. Students were allowed to cast ballots on what school faculty member they wanted to read to them. After a grueling campaign that included a town hall debate, Principal Izell McGruder won the election in a landside.

“I’ve never seen them so serious about something,” first-grade teacher Catherine Greer said at the time. They are really taking their time thinking about who to vote for.” 

A second Fine Arts Day will be held at Hasty on April 25.