Savannah Arts Academy
{{Short description|Performing and visual arts school in Savannah, Georgia, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}{{Infobox school
| name = Savannah Arts Academy
| image = SavannahArts.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| established = {{start date and age|1998|p=1}}
| type = Magnet, public high school
| enrollment = 853 (2023-2024){{cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=1301020&SchoolPageNum=3&ID=130102002245|title=Savannah Arts Academy|publisher=National Center for Education Statistics|accessdate=April 30, 2025}}
| principal = Anna Belue
| grades = 9-12
| ceeb = 112696
| mascot = Panther
| colors = Black, silver, white, hot pink
{{color box|black|border=silver}}{{color box|silver|border=silver}}{{color box|white|border=silver}}{{color box|hotpink|border=silver}}
| address = 500 Washington Avenue
| city = Savannah
| state = Georgia
| zipcode = 31405
| country = United States
| website = {{URL|https://spwww.sccpss.com/schools/saa/Pages/default.aspx}}
| coordinates = {{Coord|32.046037|-81.092855|display=title,inline|format=dms|type:edu}}
}}
Savannah Arts Academy (SAA) is the first dedicated performing and visual arts school in Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools. Savannah Arts Academy was granted charter school status and the former Savannah High School building in July 1998, and opened in August of the same year with 397 students enrolled.
As of 2023, the school is ranked the #7 high school in Georgia, and #276 high school nationally, ranked by U.S. News & World Report.{{cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/georgia/districts/chatham-county/savannah-arts-academy-5763|publisher=U.S. News & World Report|title=Savannah Arts Academy - Best High Schools - US News|accessdate=2012-06-04}}
History
The Savannah Arts Academy building is located on a site that was originally planned as a luxury tourist hotel called the Hotel Georgia. The Works Progress Administration, in the midst of the Great Depression, expressed interest in the site for use as the new Savannah High School, which was dedicated on June 15, 1937. After 61 years on Washington Avenue, Savannah High School classes were moved to a new building on Pennsylvania Avenue, leaving the structure available for the newly formed Savannah Arts Academy for the school year beginning August 1998.{{Cite web |title=Savannah High School - Georgia Historical Society |url=https://www.georgiahistory.com/ghmi_marker_updated/savannah-high-school/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=GeorgiaHistory |language=en-US}}
=Awards and recognition=
During the 2006–07 school year, Savannah Arts Academy was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education.{{cite web|url=http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-2003.pdf|title=U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 2003 through 2006|publisher=United States Department of Education|accessdate=2006-05-11}} "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement."{{cite news|title=Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=2005-09-29}} Savannah Arts currently ranks #1 in the Savannah-Chatham County Public School District, ranks #14 in Georgia for public high schools, and ranks in the top 400's in the United States, competing with 24,000 other public high schools.{{Cite web |title=Savannah Arts Academy Ranking |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/georgia/districts/savannah-chatham-county/savannah-arts-academy-5763 |access-date=6 June 2024 |website=U.S. News}}
Student activities
=Savannah Arts Fashion Show=
Formerly known as Junk 2 Funk, the SAA Fashion Show is an annual show put on by the visual arts and theater departments. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Junk 2 Funk consisted of four shows in January; however, in 2021, there were no performances open to the public, and in 2022, one public show was performed{{cite web |last1=Boatwright |first1=Adrianna |title=Junk 2 Funk returns after two year hiatus with vivid outfits by Savannah Arts designersJunk 2 Funk returns after two year hiatus with vivid outfits by Savannah Arts designers |url=https://www.savannahnow.com/story/entertainment/2022/03/24/junk-2-funk-fashion-show-2022-preview-savannah-arts-academy/7156191001/ |website=www.savannahnow.com |publisher=Savannah Morning News |access-date=2022-04-19}} as well as one school show. In 2023, the show was performed at the Alee Shriners Temple of Savannah with the theme Tabula Rasa.{{Cite web |title=Savannah Arts Academy SAA FASHION SHOW |url=https://www.sccpss.com/schools/saa/Pages/SAA-Fashion-Show.aspx |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=www.sccpss.com}} In 2024, the show was held in the school's theater with a Metaphysical Aquatica theme and was shown three times to the public. {{Cite web |last=Boatwright |first=Adriana Iris |title=Savannah Arts Academy fashion students explore fluidity with 'Metaphysical Aquatica' show |url=https://www.savannahnow.com/story/entertainment/events/2024/01/26/savannah-arts-academy-presents-annual-student-fashion-show/72364503007/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=Savannah Morning News |language=en-US}}
= Film and Media Festival =
The SAA Film and Media Festival is an annual showing of the Savannah Art's film department's student work.{{Cite web |title=Savannah Arts Academy SAA Film Festival |url=https://www.sccpss.com/schools/saa/Pages/SAA-Film-Festival.aspx |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=www.sccpss.com}} Awards for different categories of filmmaking are handed out to select students.
Notable alumni
{{AlumniStart}}
{{Alum|name=Ligel Lambert|year=2000|nota=Visual artist|ref={{cite web |title=CV- Ligel Lambert |url=https://www.ligel.com/cv.html |website=www.ligel.com |access-date=17 October 2022}}}}
{{Alum|name=Cheryl Haworth|year=2001|nota=Olympic weightlifter|ref={{Cite web |last=Fair |first=John D. |date=May 6, 2017 |title=Cheryl Haworth |url=https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/people/cheryl-haworth-b-1983/ |access-date=2022-10-17 |website=New Georgia Encyclopedia |language=en-US}}}}
{{Alum|name=Ben Marshall|year=2013|nota=Comedian|ref={{Cite web |last=Alter |first=Rebecca |date=2021-07-19 |title=Boys, Interrupting |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/please-dont-destroy-sketch-comedy-profile.html |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Vulture |language=en}}}}
{{AlumniEnd}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Official|https://spwww.sccpss.com/schools/saa/Pages/default.aspx}}
{{Savannah education}}
{{GHSA Class AA Region 3}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Savannah Arts Academy}}
Category:Schools of the performing arts in the United States
Category:Educational institutions established in 1998
Category:Public high schools in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Works Progress Administration in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Schools in Savannah, Georgia
Category:Magnet schools in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Charter schools in Georgia (U.S. state)