Kidz Workshop maintains high standards when hiring teachers

Seung Ah Cha is on a mission to bring art to Federal Way children.

School districts statewide continue to cut art programs because school officials and parents think of art as a luxury, Cha said. But they are wrong.

Students who participate in art classes exercise their right brain, Cha said. They learn problem-solving skills and improve their memories.

“If they learn how to draw realistically at a young age, they retain information better,” she said.

About a year ago, Cha opened the Kidz Workshop art school in Federal Way. The school offers classes for children in preschool through high school.

Cha takes art education seriously. All of the teachers at Kidz Workshop have achieved at least a bachelor’s degree in art.

“Everyone claims they teach art, but they don’t have the background or the education to teach,” she said, noting that some youth art schools only require their teachers to attend a two-week training session.

Students at Kidz Workshop are given a test before they begin classes to asses their skills. Teachers then design an individual curriculum for each student.

“If they don’t know how to draw, that’s not a problem. We teach them how to draw,” Cha said.

Children at Kidz Workshop study fine arts, computer graphics, sculpture and art history. Programs cost between $110 to $300 per month.

During the summer, Kidz Workshop will host a variety of weekly summer camps with prices ranging from $195 to $295.

Kidz Workshop also offers programs for older students who are interested in pursuing an art career. Teachers help students create a portfolio for entry into an art college.

Regardless if a student dreams of becoming the next Pablo Picasso, art is good for everyone and has a tendency to raise self-esteem, Cha said.

Contact Margo Hoffman: mhoffman@fedwaymirror.com or (253) 925-5565.

For more information about the Kidz Workshop, visit www.kidzworkshop.org.