Enloe High School is full of niches. Every student has an interest in something special. Nowhere is this more evident than the Academy of Creative Design. Full of passionate and dedicated students, ACD is an underappreciated but thriving part of the Enloe ecosystem.
The Academy of Creative Design focuses on preparing students for a creative field. Students can develop skills in anything from graphic design to video production. The structure of the academy includes one required class each year, starting with Adobe Visual Design I. From there, students choose one of two pathways, Graphic Design or Animation and 3D Modeling. Graphic Design students complete Adobe Visual Design II and Advertising and Design, while Animation and 3D Modeling students complete 3D Modeling and Animation I and II. Both pathways culminate in CTE Advanced Studies, a class where students practice their skills through real-world opportunities in order to develop a professional portfolio.
On top of the required courses, being in ACD opens the door to countless opportunities. Guest speakers from creative fields and field trips allow students to explore real creative career options. ACD Coordinator Amy Spruill is responsible for organizing these events. She considers the range of interest within the academy, saying, “I try to give [the students] a big swath of the careers you can do with this kind of base … it’s all about opening their eyes to what types of careers are out there.”
Additionally, ACD students are expected to find and complete a design-based internship between their junior and senior years. This internship can be for any company ranging from a national corporation to a local business. Spruill has had students score internships everywhere. One student made posters for Raleigh Parks, while one worked on marketing Nascar to teen girls. Many students find these internships after networking with guest speakers and during field trips.
Besides the obvious privileges and experiences you get from ACD, the community itself is a valuable resource to members. Sidney Heagarty, current board member, describes her experience as a freshman, saying, “Immediately [Adobe Visual Design I] kind of became a break in the day. Enloe is very academics focused … but [Adobe Visual Design I], once I get there, once I settle in, it just becomes a stress reliever to go to everyday, because it’s just a creative outlet.” Furthermore, the comfortable and open environment of the class allows students to work together in a more effective way. Heagarty says that during critiques, when the class shares their work and receives feedback from their peers, the closeness of the community means they’re all more willing to take criticism. She explains, “[It] wouldn’t be possible to have that without knowing those people so well.” She continues that this extends past designated critique time as well, saying, “Day to day, you [can] ask someone next to you, ‘Hey, does this look good? What should I change?’ It’s a kind of a constant, growing environment.”
ACD students are also distinctly passionate about their work. The breadth of specific aspects within design is large, however this doesn’t stop students from being able to collaborate. Heagarty says, “While we all have different strengths, when we come together, we can make amazing stuff.” Spruill echoes this sentiment, saying the passion is obvious from the beginning, “Each year, I see another group of freshmen, and I see a lot of excitement, and I love to see the creativity these kids have … it’s really inspiring to see what they can do.”
ACD is an incredible option for any student interested in creating things. “[For] anyone who is passionate about making art of any kind, it’s just an amazing opportunity for you because you’re surrounded by people interested in the same thing,” says Heagarty. Spruill says even if design isn’t a professional interest, ACD will still teach you valuable skills. She states, “You really are learning how to be a professional. So even if you get through all of this and at the end you’re like, I don’t want to do graphic design, … you know how to network, you’ve got interview practice, you’ve built a portfolio, you know how to do your resume, you have all these different skills, so you’re prepared to get out there.”
ACD utilizes students’ passion to create a supportive environment that prepares members for the real-world creative career industry. Any rising ninth grader or current freshman taking Adobe Visual Design I interested in design, or even just the opportunities and skills ACD provides, is encouraged to apply. As Heagarty concluded, “anyone can do design.”
