The scratching of pencils and the concentration of art students continue daily in art class taught by Sharon Scharf over the past 15 years. Scharf gives her students opportunities to not only improve their talent but to enter their pieces in the annual Big Fresno Fair.

“We like to enter some pieces every year,” Scharf said. “It gives the students an opportunity to see how their entries size up to other students around the Valley.”

Entries into the fair are picked from a hand full of different artists who display the most superb and original works of art in the class.

“I look for the most original piece with a lot of variety and neatness from quality artists,” Scharf said.

The entries for the Association of Christian Schools International [ACSI] Art Festival are chosen by Scharf. They are also often the art works to be entered into The Big Fresno Fair each year.

“She’s a great teacher,” campus graduate, Jamie Meadows, ’03, said. “I love how we were able to get closer as friends and be able to talk about things other than art. Also every year was different and more exciting.”

A token Scharf likes to add to her class is the paintbrush she uses as her bathroom pass rather than the regular slip pf paper.

“It’s just a fun little thing I like to have that shows which class they came from,” Scharf said. “I’ve been using it for the past 12 years and it just seems like a logical pass to have for my art class.”

Although the paintbrush pass is unique, students return to Scharf’s class because of her patience and passion for art.

“I’m surprised that Mrs. Scharf has had so much patience with me through all these years I’ve been in her class, because I talk unceasingly,” Cale Livingston, ’04, said. “I’ve definitely enjoyed every year.”

Livingston has been in Scharf’s class for the past six years.

“When he really focuses he can become a very talented artist,” Scharf said. “He has grown up a lot since seventh grade and displays a lot of quality in his creativity that most students don’t possess.”

Scharf has recognized Tyler Charest, ’05, as one of her more talented artists who has distinguished himself through his caricatures.

“Tyler has a lot of natural talent and has the ability to stay focused on whatever he has challenged himself with,” Scharf said. “His caricatures are some of the best I’ve seen.”

Teacher student relationships have traditionally been important on campus and help with the development of the students’ character.

“I like Mrs. Scharf a lot,” Charest said. “Her art class is the best and she really enjoys helping us improve. The thing I like the most is being able to draw freely because it helps me improve what I want and keeps my interest in art class.”

For more information on Sharon Scharf, parents and students can contact the high school office at 299-1695, ext. 5, or to view other articles regarding teacher student relationships, read the September 22 online article “Connections often begin with positive attitudes” by staff writer Angela Kutnerian.