SchoolArts - October 2008

Left to right: Jeremie Comrie, grade twelve, recycled aluminum chair, finalist at Art Basel’s Design Miami Exhibit. Johad Ellis, grade twelve, car manufacturers collaborated with DASH and Arteaméricas to present a collection of concept designs. Fashion students consider design in terms of human interaction with the environment.

of innovative thinking in a diverse learning community. More artists-in-residence than typical teachers, DASH faculty “treat the students as professionals,” explains Dr. Stacey Mancuso, DASH’s principal and herself a professional artist. The mature exchange between faculty and students is the foundation of instruction at DASH. The consistent application of project presentations for the purpose of critique develops critical thinking skills, constructive verbal interaction and personal confidence. Opportunities for internships are included to provide tangible experience in the field.

Advisory board members include industrial designers, architects, interior designers, video producers, fashion executives, journalists, creative directors, advertising executives, university officials, business leaders, and educational leaders. Faculty and administration, already professionals in both design and education, regularly attend advanced workshops to improve instructional strategies and techniques.

High Academic Standards The equal emphasis on design and academics, and the interdisciplinary approach, makes DASH the eighth-ranked gold medal high school in the nation and the first-ranked magnet high school in the nation. Advanced Placement (AP) test scores have brought DASH national recognition from the College Board for the largest number of minority students “in the world” enrolled in AP courses. DASH is a National Blue Ribbon School, and has a 100% graduation rate and a 100% college enrollment rate. Student performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in mathematics, reading, and writing have placed DASH as one of the top three high schools in the district for the past six years. This is particularly significant given that DASH recruits a diversified student body representing all facets of Miami’s complex multicultural community, where often English is not the first language spoken at home. The student population at DASH mirrors this population as well as the inclusion of varied socio-economic groups and

special needs groups in language or exceptional student education.

While DASH students are initially selected based on their visual art abilities, their performance academically is an achievement that is based on endeavor and commitment, and adds fuel to the argument that the arts raise academic achievement.

The Future of Design Programs and schools in the planning stage have visited in teams from all over the country to study the curriculum and practices of DASH. The review and exchange of information has been a stimulus for reflection and refinement. As we move further into the twenty-first century, we have the opportunity to be inspired by DASH’s model so that we may help develop the superlative future designers of America and abroad.