The Arts as a Path to Growth
At Brilla Public Charter Schools, we believe that helping scholars grow intellectually, socially, and physically into young men and women of good character and spirit requires opportunities for them to develop the whole person. Fine & Applied Arts (FAA) is an essential part of that formation. Our FAA classrooms give scholars opportunities to create, perform, practice, reflect, collaborate, and grow—experiences that strengthen the habits of discipline, confidence, and thoughtful expression that prepare them for excellence in high school, college, and beyond.
What distinguishes Brilla’s approach to Fine & Applied Arts is that we see the arts not as an addition to a scholar’s education, but as integral to how we fulfill our mission. Our approach connects artistic development with intellectual, social, and physical growth, giving scholars authentic opportunities to practice excellence and develop the character needed to pursue it. At the center of this work is our commitment to Beautiful Work, a protocol grounded in Integrity, Harmony, and Clarity and designed to foster the highest potential in our scholars. Rather than simply asking scholars to complete an assignment or participate in a performance, we ask them to engage deeply with their craft, make purposeful choices, respond to feedback, and continually refine their work. In this way, Beautiful Work becomes more than a standard for the finished product; it becomes a way of cultivating the habits and dispositions that help scholars become people of good character and prepare them to pursue excellence well beyond Brilla.
Integrity: Authenticity, Voice, and Purposeful Practice
Integrity looks for evidence of higher-order thinking, authenticity, revision, and genuine student voice. Beautiful Work reflects scholars’ ability to think deeply, make purposeful choices, develop their skills, and create work that is genuinely their own.
Destiny and Theresa, founding Brilla Pax Middle School graduates from the Class of 2026, embody these qualities through their artistic journeys. Destiny overcame significant stage fright through her dedication to theater and openness to extensive coaching, ultimately becoming the only BPM scholar accepted into LaGuardia High School’s Theater program. She also contributed to the Curatorial Collective, sharing her expertise and helping create seasonal art installations throughout the school.
Theresa similarly grew from a self-described shy and uncertain artist into a confident member of the Curatorial Collective. Through coaching and practice, she developed the confidence to memorize and deliver a speech at a school-wide gathering before earning acceptance into Art & Design High School. Together, their journeys reflect Integrity through perseverance, authentic expression, skill development, and a commitment to growth. Their experiences demonstrate how scholars can discover and strengthen their artistic voices while taking ownership of the practice, preparation, and reflection required to develop their abilities.
Harmony: Collective Strength and Shared Purpose
Brilla’s FAA vision describes Harmony as the way individual elements come together to create something greater. It is reflected in collaboration, communication, teamwork, and shared purpose.
Emma, a Brilla Veritas Middle School scholar in the Class of 2027, demonstrates this through her growth as a musician and leader. She entered BVM as a quiet scholar and quickly became deeply committed to learning the viola. She sought additional practice and lessons, earning two consecutive placements in BVM’s Advanced Ensemble and becoming the only sixth-grade scholar selected to perform at the Bronx Orchestra Music Festival in 2025.
As Emma’s skills developed, so did her confidence and willingness to contribute to others. She later became a leader in her viola section, tutoring younger scholars and sharing the knowledge she had developed through her own practice. Her journey demonstrates Harmony as individual strengths coming together to strengthen a community. Her musical development became not only a personal achievement, but also an opportunity to support and elevate her peers.
Clarity: Precision, Refinement, and Audience
Clarity requires precision in technique and application, attention to detail, consideration of audience, and authentic ideas expressed in a professional or classically aligned format. Clarity represents more than completion; it is the final investment scholars make in revising, refining, rehearsing, and preparing their work.
Ezekiel, a recent BVM graduate in the Class of 2026, demonstrated this through his development as a violinist. In sixth grade, he became the first scholar to perform a solo violin piece before the entire school. Rather than selecting a familiar piece, he challenged himself with a more advanced solo despite limited rehearsal time. His preparation led to the confidence to audition for BVM’s Vienna Quartet, where he has served as first violin for two consecutive years. He will continue his musical journey at Riverdale High School.
Leah, a seventh-grade Brilla Veritas Middle School scholar, demonstrates Clarity through her growth in Physical Education classes. She participates in showcases, consistently gives her best effort, and supports her classmates. In PE, she demonstrates teamwork, preparation, and good sportsmanship, understanding that athletic success requires more than winning. Her recognition as both Scholar of the Week and Athlete of the Week reflects her commitment across academics and athletics.
Together, Leah and Ezekiel show that Clarity is not only about polished work—it is also about developing the confidence to communicate, participate, and share one’s abilities with purpose.
Beautiful Work Across FAA
These scholars demonstrate that Beautiful Work is about more than a finished product or performance. It is about the thinking, practice, collaboration, refinement, and growth that make that work possible.
Through Brilla’s Beautiful Work Protocol, educators study student work through Integrity, Harmony, and Clarity while examining the conditions that shaped it. In doing so, Beautiful Work becomes a shared way of teaching, learning, creating, performing, reflecting, and growing—allowing every scholar to discover their abilities and bring those abilities to life with care, purpose, and excellence.
Brilla Public Charter Schools 