AVPA has always been something unique to CCHS. However, after not having a teacher for over a year, the art program was in shambles. 

Enter Ms. Anna Alvarez, a fun, kind art teacher. Alvarez has been inspired by art since she was four years old. Her dad would “paint murals in our home and I would watch him”, which started Alvarez’s love for art. After seeing her dad painting, she “picked up some crayons when I was four years old and just pretty much kept going with that”. 

Since then, Alvarez’s taste in art supplies has evolved. Her favorite medium is oil paint because she loves “nitpicking stuff”, and since oil takes a very long time to dry, Alvarez can adjust details as many times as she wishes. Alvarez is inspired by connection in her artwork. She says she enjoys making art because it makes people feel less alone in their experiences. 

Art ended up quickly becoming her lifelong passion. She began doing art in college and then taught middle school art for six years before becoming an AP Art teacher here at CCHS, which is an entirely new experience for her.

Alvarez loves the AVPA program here at CCHS. She thinks that it’s “such a cool, safe place to be able to hangout after school”. She also states that it is an amazing opportunity for her and unlike anything she has ever done before. 

However, this new class hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. “It’s been very challenging because it’s a lot of new stuff and figuring out how to do that and how to improve”. Even though this is an entirely new, challenging experience for Alvarez, she is doing an amazing job.