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Departments at Trevor are not islands. Visual Arts teachers eagerly incorporate what students are learning in other subjects. Consciousness about sustainability, for example, is an important element in the curriculum— witness the increasing number of works that make use of recycled materials. ere are many connections made with science: In a ceramics class, students can explore the principles of physics while centering a pot on the wheel. Photography students reconsider basic optics as part of their study of camera obscura. (Editor's note: Latin for "dark room," camera obscura is a box with a hole in one side. Light from an external scene passes through it, strikes a surface inside, where it is reproduced, inverted, but with color and perspective preserved.) e enthusiasm with which students embrace interdepartmental learning is evident in the subjects they choose to develop. Students are taught to approach the artistic process with focus and discipline. Dedication and practice are valued because both give students greater confidence working in their chosen medium. Mastering tools and techniques does not stifle creativity; rather, it is unleashed, allowing students to put their personal stamp on their work. Sketchbooks show development of ideas and approaches to their execution. Portfolios offer evidence of each student's progress and accomplishment. Every year the Upper School Art Show offers stunning evidence of students' growth as artists. High School students must complete three years of half-credit courses within the arts. ey have an array of electives from which they may choose: In addition to classes in ceramics, drawing, painting, and photography, students may study stained glass, printmaking, video production, narrative and experimental movie making— all taught by a faculty of accomplished working artists. e success of the visual arts program is demonstrated by the fact that the vast majority of students participate in many more arts-related activities than required and the fervent continuation of visual arts pursuits by alumni in college and beyond. is department's goal of igniting a lifelong engagement with the arts is readily attained.