BHS Students Named CAS Arts Awards Recipients
The CAS Arts Awards annually honor two outstanding seniors from each member school who excel in the performing or visual arts. While excelling in the performing or visual arts is of primary importance, scholarship and leadership are also supporting criteria. Two students from each member school across Connecticut were honored at a banquet at the Aqua Turf on Tuesday, April 5. Berlin High School is proud to announce this year’s recipients: Eryn Riggot, representing excellence in visual arts; and Laura Sarrazin, representing excellence in performing arts.
Throughout her childhood Eryn Riggott enjoyed creating art such as sculptures from red solo cups and painting with watercolors, and has shown dedication to the arts throughout her high school career. Mrs. Miller, art teacher, stated, “Eryn regularly goes above and beyond class expectations by taking things further with great care and attention to detail. This innate desire to learn and self-motivation often make her a role model in the classroom. She is quick to compliment her peers’ work as well as offer a helping hand when a classmate is struggling.”
Some of Eryn’s memorable projects at Berlin High include creating a logo for the science department and ornaments that were displayed on a White House Christmas tree. Eryn also discovered a love for stage crew at BHS that has allowed her to be creative with set building, implementing her ideas to create a world. Eryn is currently enrolled in AP Art, specifically 2-D Design. The sustained investigation she is working with creates pattern, repetition, and texture and many of the pieces she is working on incorporate paper layering. One of her favorite pieces from this class is titled Netherlands Flower Field and uses layers of hole punches. Upcoming projects include an installation near the BHS radio station that will be reminiscent of a record and a mural at the Central Connecticut Transitional Academy.
Eryn will be attending Central Connecticut State University in the fall, majoring in Art Education so that she can share her love and passion for art with others.
Laura Sarrazin has enjoyed many years of success in the performing arts. Laura has been acting since 2011, and knew even at age eight that she had found her passion. Performing at Berlin High School with Mr. Boyle, Choral Director, along with her closest friends has been the greatest experience of her life and she is so grateful for all the opportunities she has had to learn and grow.
Laura has been an active member of the Music & Theatre Arts Department throughout her high school career, participating in theatrical performances, singing with two choral ensembles, and briefly participating as a member of the marching band’s color guard. Some of her favorite roles have been Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Cosette in Les Miserables, Roxie Hart in Chicago, Sophie Sheridan in Mamma Mia, and Cinderella in Into the Woods. In addition, she is an active performer outside of school in the greater Berlin community. Mr. Boyle stated, “Whether she’s on the stage performing in the school play or musical, or rehearsing for the next concert with one of the vocal ensembles she sings with, Laura approaches her work with a clear passion for the performing arts while also striving to learn more and hone her craft. Laura is a model student for her peers and is always excited to jump in and help another student find the joy of the performing arts. Laura’s approach to her work is a direct representation of the purpose and passion she brings to the performing arts, and she represents herself, our department, and our school with great pride.”
Laura hopes to take her abilities to the screen one day and act in film and television. She is excited to be turning her passion into a profession at Emerson College in the fall, majoring in theatre and performance.