10 | FALL 2023
the MIRROR
| LIFESTYLE |
Strokes of genius: An artistic journey THE MIRROR | IVAN ALCALA
BY OLAMIDE OLUMIDE
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THE MIRROR NEWS & FEATURES EDITOR
veryone at some point in their life has been an artist, whether it be the meaningless scribbles you drew on a sheet of blank paper when your parents gave you a crayon to keep you busy as a child, or the palettes of makeup you started experimenting with during your teen years. Senior Isabela Arca has been an artist since birth. Art is a part of her identity, and it acted as her companion through hard times and as a friend when she needed support. “I struggled managing my anxiety several months ago and I remember that I was so overwhelmed with everything that day that I turned to drawing as a coping strategy,” she said. “I chose imagery that resonated with how I felt and drew a coherent image based on those elements. Through art, I was able to achieve catharsis and was able to look at my anxiety and overwhelm on a physical canvas, which shares the same concept of journaling.” This artist’s skill doesn't just come from talent. It's taken many years for her to refine her style and artistry to become what it is today. Some of her work has been showcased in the Creative House Gallery, an organization that presents student works for auction. Arca has also had her work displayed in the Congressional Art contest held in Pacoima City Hall, for which she received an honorable mention. Arca strives to inspire confidence and ambition in her audience through her art. “One recent example of this is the yearbook cover I drew for the Class of 2024, titled ‘Carrying On,’” she said. “It conveys the importance to keep moving forward even in the face of turmoil and tragedy. I’ve always struggled to get back up after a struggle and the theme of resilience has always been on my mind. I wanted this artwork to introduce tragedy yet place the focus on the importance of recovering from that event.”
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I want people to feel empowered when they look at my work, no matter if the art came from high or low periods of my life.” Senior Isabela Arca
THE BIG PICTURE Senior Isabella Arca flaunts her design for the 2023-24 yearbook.
She wants her art to help her audience feel hopeful in times of need. “I want people to feel empowered when they look at my work, no matter if the art came from high or low periods of my life,” she said. “Art has gotten me through many struggles and I feel like hope and resilience is a common theme in my artwork because of that. I hope to share those qualities with anyone who views my artwork.” Arca is set on the career she plans to
pursue. “I want to go into a career in illustration, painting or visual development in the future,” she said. Art is many things for Arca: a friend, a therapist and a community. Pushing these things aside to follow a more traditional occupation would be like changing the entire trajectory of her life to amount to a soulless experience. “I feel like I would not recognize myself if I didn’t pursue art,” she explained. “It was instrumental to my growth as a person because of the unexpected lessons I would learn through creating art.”
Jumpstarting his career in the automotive industry BY MIA RAMIREZ
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THE MIRROR STAFF
o senior Thomas Polce, revving engines, drifting wheels and the glossy finish of a new paint job are as close to heaven as it gets. The automotive-enthusiast has been interested in cars for as long as he could remember. “I used to create custom Lego cars and when I was much younger I would love spotting rare cars around L.A. when I got the chance,” Polce said. As a freshman, he found the opportunity to pursue his passion by joining the school's automotive program, which he has been a part of for the last four years. “Auto shop was a path that I could take to further my knowledge and passion in the auto shop world,” Polce said. The automotive program is a career and technical education-oriented course taught by Mr. Joseph Agruso, which allows students to learn about the components of automotive vehicles, as well as the basics of repairing them. Students learn through hands-on experience by working on school staff members’ cars. “I am able to learn in the classroom and then also perform what I learn in real world applications,” Polce said. “I have learned how to work on actual cars and build electrical circuits.”
In addition to teaching students how to repair automotive vehicles and various technical skills, the auto shop program also gives students the opportunity to apply these skills outside of the classroom. According to Polce, the program helped him get a paid internship with the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCVWA) during his junior year of high school. There, Polce works with his supervisor to perform maintenance on fleet vehicles owned by the agency. Polce has thoroughly enjoyed his time working for the company and has found ways to apply the skills he has learned through the automotive program. “I’m enjoying my experience working at SCVWA, not only because I get to work in a field that’s related to my interest, but I’m also able to take what I have learned in auto shop and apply it in my work,” Polce said. Since the school’s automotive program is well-known in the community, when SCVWA was searching for interns, Mr. Agruso’s auto shop was one of the first places they looked. This is how Polce obtained his internship. “This is the first year SCVWA has had an internship program, so they were looking for high school students in the Valley,” Polce said. “Just being in the auto shop program
While she does worry that she may lose her love for art by pursuing a career in it, she's willing to take that risk. “I have explored other career options but I found that I was only passionate about art,” Arca explained. “I love the process of creating artwork and sharing that joy with others. Even though art careers are known for being difficult, I still want to pursue it because I love art so much.” Though Arca’s culture values careers in business and medicine over careers in art, her parents are still highly supportive of her passion. “Nothing really inspired me to pursue a career in art aside from my mom’s constant support of my dreams,” she said. "My mother is an accountant but she wanted to be an interior designer when she was younger. She is my biggest supporter and my passion wouldn’t be as developed as it is today without her.” The artist plans to continue to do what she loves without letting others dictate her future. “The stigma around art careers being unviable and useless is severely discouraging, especially to younger people that plan to pursue their dreams in art,” she said. “I find it hypocritical when people say to follow your dreams yet shame art careers because it doesn’t earn well. Art careers are one of the hardest careers to be successful in because they stray from the conventional path to success compared to other jobs. If an artist’s passion is strong enough to withstand the stigma and tumultuous experience of an art career, then it is successful.” No matter the medium, many artists face scrutiny over their career choice. Arca says that she's had enough of it. “People should be open-minded and respectful when commenting on people’s decision to pursue art because enforcing the stigma around art careers is detrimental to a person’s relationship with art,” she said. “Art careers definitely have their cons, but expressing those concerns can be done in a mature and healthy way.”
CAREER KICKSTART Senior Thomas Polce’s
involvement in the automotive program has earned him an internship with the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, where he repairs the vehicles in their fleet.
here helped me get the job.” Polce has also won various awards in SkillsUSA competitions. SkillsUSA is a technical and career program that is associated with the school’s automotive program. The program provides students with educational opportunities, community service and competitions that support career and technical education in the classroom. “We compete in automotive competitions for SkillsUSA and I have placed first in several different competitions,” he said. “I think that adds to my accomplishments that have helped me get this job.” Polce was not the first student to receive an opportunity like this, and he certainly will not be the last. “Mr. Agruso, our instructor, puts a lot of the students in different internships and jobs,” he said. Students from Mr. Agruso’s classes have gotten jobs and internships at companies such as Galpin Motors, Keyes Auto Group and more. Seeing all of his students succeed in their new positions fills Mr. Agruso with a strong sense of pride. “I have the best job in the world,” he said. “I get to watch our students get jobs as engineers and technicians, which helps them to attend many higher education schools."
POLCE: THE MIRROR | FARAH ALSIBAI
