With the stroke of a paintbrush, she showed her true colors. By the pluck of a string, her body moved to the rhythm of the music. Women have been both the inspiration and the creators of art for centuries. The Mountaineer Newspaper would like to showcase women in art for the final week of Women’s History Month.
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; illustrations depicting both physical and emotional pain are reflected in her self-portraits
“Frida is iconic. Out of many artists mentioned in class, she is one that most of my students know. She was a fearless and outspoken female at a time when fewer females were,” expressed Amanda Nicholson, Stroudsburg High School Spanish teacher. “She was always herself and true to her identity. It was important for her to represent her indigenous and native Mexican identity.”
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, elementary art teacher.
The school offers an after-school art club that allows all students to express their creativity. The AP art class also provides the opportunity for advanced students to create freely within a theme of their choice.
“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,” added Thomas.
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. All great artistic expression speaks, whether it’s music, art, dance, or other, and the female voice is becoming greater than ever.
Stroudsburg Area School District has an inclusive music department, including the only strings program in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. 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 attest to their 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, 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.”
Sobrinski also partakes in the school musical. This year, many talented women are working to make this year’s school musical live up to the showstopping expectations.
The predominantly female production team consists of Billye Kubiak, director/producer and choreographer; Janice Lee, the musical director; Ashley Krause, the prop master; Lisa Rogers, the stage manager; Megan Fry, choreographer; and Grace Trebour, costume coordinator.
Sobriski plays Alice Beineke, but she isn’t the only talented woman in the musical. The main cast also includes Gabrielle Sanchez, ’25 (Wednesday Addams), Mikaela Lipitz, ’26 (Morticia Addams), and Sandy Gravesande, ’26 (Grandma Addams).
The ensemble is equally loaded with female talent from both the junior high and the high school buildings. Alisabeth Guepet, ’25, stands out among them as a student choreographer.
In addition, there are talented set designers, Marissa Rachjaibun and Jill Howell, and the many makeup artists working on set.
With the Hall of Fame concert approaching on May 9, the school musical running April 4 to 6, and the art gallery on April 4 and 5. The talented women of the Stroudsburg School District will be on full display while they continue to help students cultivate their interests and talents.
