As Women’s History Month comes to an end, the Mountaineer would like to showcase women in art and entertainment.
Women have been the spark of inspiration for the creation of many art pieces from the Renaissance, Colonial, Victorian, and Elizabethan periods, as well as from various cultures.
Frida Kahlo was a famous Mexican artist in the mid-1900s who portrayed her pain through art. She suffered through polio, a bus accident, and miscarriages, which helped illustrate both physical and emotional pain in her self-portraits
Stroudsburg High School showcases student art through gallery shows, display cases, and bulletin boards. Each spring, the SHS art department organizes an art exhibition to showcase the diverse collection of mediums and original student art created throughout the year. Stroudsburg Area School District has eight female art teachers: Julia Thomas, Meg Besterci, and Jenna Amey at the elementary level; Dana Ropchock at the middle school level; Cheryl Vlahakis, Sarah Cepin, Jasmin Moore, and Bethany Wert at the high school level.
“I want my students to learn problem-solving skills and to be successful. I want art to be their emotional output,” says Julia Thomas, Art teacher. “As a female in the arts, I am always advocating for the arts and like to collaborate with other teachers. Lots of females are teachers, but being a female artist is somewhat new. Females had to fight to get their art up in galleries.”
In the performing arts, women who have taken the stage have inspired other women to use their voices. From artists like Cynthia Erivo to Taylor Swift, all artists use the power of their voices to deliver a message. Erivo has a strong, wide-ranging voice that can drive audiences to tears. Swift’s music speaks to inspire young girls and spread positivity.
Stroudsburg Area School District has an inclusive music department, including the only strings program in Monroe County. Stroudsburg has eight female music teachers. Ashley Bomboy and Kim Kopec at the elementary level. Christina Ciazzo, Julia Flynn, and Christine Bartholomew at the middle school level. Shannon Smith, Wendy Wilson, and Janice Lee at the high school level. These women have organized countless concerts to showcase the talent of Stroudsburg students and their own work ethic.
“As a woman music educator, there’s the opportunity to serve as a role model for other women and girls who aspire to pursue music, both in teaching and performing,” said Wendy Wilson, Orchestra Director. “Historically, music education, particularly in classical and certain performance domains, has been male-dominated. Women educators may still face societal expectations and biases that can undermine their authority or expertise, even in today’s more progressive educational environments.”
The powerful voices of female students have helped Stroudsburg’s performance community to grow. Julia Sobrinski is a junior who participates in choir, orchestra, and musicals. She has made it into the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) district ten chorus, has made it into regionals, and will be going to states in April 2025. She is a powerful soprano who wants to spread positivity with her voice.
“Frequently, when you look at programs, the ratio of male to female composers is different. A lot of people have biases against women. They have not been able to achieve the same education as men. Now, women have more opportunities to achieve their goals,” expresses Julia Sobrinski, ’26. “Fortunately, I don’t have to feel inferior to men when I am singing or performing in Stroudsburg, and we have two female directors out of three. We can just keep uplifting our female artists and performers and give them access to the opportunities that would make them grow.”
With the Hall of Fame concert coming up on May 9 and the art gallery on April 4 and 5. The women in the SHS district continue to help students grow and cultivate their interests.
