By Amelia Guzman What is an Agora? The word comes from ancient Greece, defined as “an assembly of the people.” Every spring, Arcadia High has its very own Agora. This annual fine arts festival is planned and run by studio art teacher Cira Riccio and the club she sponsors, the National Art Honor Society (NAHS). All proceeds made during the event go to an art-related organization, such as Free Arts for Arizona, or directly to NAHS and Arcadia’s Arts Department. At Agora, art from Arcadia students and pieces picked from Tavan, Hopi, Echo Canyon and Ingleside are displayed in the auditorium. Artwork presented ranges from paintings and drawings to photography and sculpture. Activities such as face painting and henna (done by NAHS members), food trucks, and student-made items for sale are held outside around the grassy knoll. Student-made items include hand-drawn cards, ceramics and jewelry. The festivities include live performances from the Arcadia Orchestra and the CMAS students. This year, the event takes place on March 28 from 5-7 p.m. There is no entry fee, and it is open to the public. These students put many hours of dedicated work into their pieces. The event allows them to give back to the community through their talents. This is the night fine arts students get to shine!   Taylor Swift made Grammy history at this year’s award ceremony. Her win for the 2023 record “Midnights” puts Swift down in history as the only person to ever win four Grammys for Album of the Year, male or female. The win cements her as a legend in the music industry, but she has an even bigger impact on young women and girls across the world. On top of writing and putting out 11 albums, Taylor is also a savvy businesswoman who runs her image impeccably. She is inspiring a whole new generation of girls to aim higher. The pop star’s impact is seen on a large scale and in small communities. At Arcadia High, students have started a Taylor Swift Club to discuss her and her music. Junior member Kendall Sawkiw says, “I love the club because I feel like it gives me space to be a teenage girl – something I think is lacking everywhere else.” The club has created a community of young women who feel free to be themselves because of Taylor and her impact. She has never shied away from paving a path for herself when there is none. Taylor’s success has led to more room for women in the music industry and the ability for us to feel comfortable expressing ourselves and not be scared to reach for the stars. – Maya Cambell   The Phoenix Art Museum is one of my favorite places. There’s something otherworldly about it. Maybe it’s the way the natural light illuminates the rooms and hallways, the way that the sculpture garden is always bright green, or the coolness of it – even in summertime. A current exhibit I admire is a collection of works by Amalia Mesa- Bains entitled Archeology of Memory. Mesa-Bains is a multimedia artist. Her work includes wardrobes and altars with silks, ornate knick-knacks, foreign materials, broken glass, and seashells. Her works are derived from Mexican Indigenous practices of honoring one’s ancestors with altares , ofrendas , and descansos . They have a thoughtful shimmer that resonated in my mind even after leaving the museum. It is interactive, observant, and grabs your attention without demanding it. While the exhibits that move in and out are wonderful to observe, the museum also has unforgettable permanent installations. My favorite is Yayoi Kusama’s You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies. It’s hypnotic and forces introspection and attention to one’s humanity, like the works by Mark Rothko: a room with mirrors on all sides, darkened, with blinking lights of all different colors hanging from the ceiling; an ocean of thoughtfulness that you take home with you. The Phoenix Art Museum is almost a breathing entity, something you form a relationship with, an oasis in the desert. – Georgia Ebbert AGORA: Arcadia High’s fine arts festival VOL. 1 NO. 04 MARCH 2024 From the students of Arcadia High School Vanessa Maldonado Mendoza and Lily Baird at the Arcadia Agora. PHOTO: CIRA RICCIO Solana by Scott Harding • oil on panel • 26.50” x 49.75” x 1.50” • $750 art one gallery | foundation Representing students and local artists of Arizona since 1993 480.946.5076 . 4130 n marshall way . scottsdale . artonegalleryinc.com . @artonegalleryinc Rabbitt and Cat by Rebecca O’Brien • mixed media on canvas • 18” x 24” x 1” • $350