AP: Argument In Art & Advertisement

There is an adage that suggests opportunity is not a lengthy visitor.  For the majority of the students who attend Omaha South High Magnet, the reality is that opportunity is not a frequent visitor. 

With over 75% of students receiving free or reduced lunch and an exceptionally high percentage of first generation Americans (be they immigrants or refugees), the importance of providing these children with both a worldly education and a broader, deeper understanding of the world around them could not be greater.

This is where you can help shape the future and perspectives of these hardworking, dedicated, and inquisitive students. 

The purpose of the Advanced Placement Language and Composition class is to study the use of rhetoric and arguments through different mediums. To develop a worldlier perspective, a student trip to New York City will create a dialogue about argument in both art and advertisement. Currently, contemporary and street art present various forms of political and social commentary. New York City is an ideal location for this study as the city is home to modern art museums, such as the Modern Art Museum, The Metropolitan, New Museum, and the Guggenheim. The Highline, SoHo, and Little Italy offer numerous opportunities to view and explore argument in street art. Advertisements provide rich layers of political and social rhetoric for students to deconstruct. Times Square, 5th Avenue/Rockefeller Center, the Bowery, and the subway system are replete with advertising that supports consumerism while simultaneously perpetuates the previously mentioned rhetoric. This affords the chance to decipher the intent of advertisement. An expectation in AP Language and Composition is that students learn to dissect the rhetorical choices made in advertisements and analyze the impact these advertisements have on the consumer.

Outside of developing an understanding of both advertisements and art, students will have a once in a lifetime chance to visit and explore New York City. Over the course of these 5 days, I have invited South alumni who currently attend Barnard University in New York City and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia to join us for meals to speak about their time at these prestigious schools. I have also invited people who work in the arts to speak about job availability in the arts.
      
Please, if you have read this far, take a moment to think about a person who has helped you along your life’s journey.  This is a chance for you to pay it forward, in any amount you are able.  Even a few dollars of support from you can create an invaluable experience for a student.  Thank you for your time and, especially, for your donation.