A STAR IS BORN

ARIC IMPROTA

I have had the good fortune to teach with the most incredibly talented Drama teacher 

here at Whitney High,

Jodi Improta.

She came to Whitney in the mid 1980's,

 and like me,

 has been a fixture ever since.

She also heads up our ASB students.

I have also been blessed to have seen her two children born and practically raised here on campus,

Aric (29) and Ariel (27).

Ariel took at last 2 of my art classes here at Whitney and continues to be one of my favorites.

 Her degree is in Fashion Merchandising,

and she is also a dance choreographer and Zumba instructor.

She is hoping to one day be a teacher like her mom. 

But it's her son Aric (29) that I want to showcase today.

He has been playing the drums since he was a little kid,

and is currently drumming for 3 different bands,

and tours around the world with one called Night Verses.

He is a celebrated drummer in his field,

practicing his craft for at least 6-9 hours a day.

You can find several of his video performances on FB.

But for me it's always been his drawings that have pulled me in.

About 10 years ago his mom gave me a copy of one of his sketchbooks 

to teach my students with during my Zentangle Unit,

and I was blown away with his designs.

Since then he has started drawing these designs on his drum heads

 and manufacturers in the music industry have taken notice.

Now he works for two of them putting his designs on not only drum heads but on cymbals as well.

Aric’s drum-set with his original designs on the cymbals and the drum heads

His drum set up at his last performance.

We are all so very proud of him here at Whitney and I wanted to share his artistic vision

that has become a reality.

Congrats Aric!!