Alisa Chang，13 years old; Eric Chang, 11 years old.  The siblings started learning art at West California Academy of Art and Design in 2014.

​Both are talented top winners for various drawing contests!

​“I pay close attention to the selection of schools. ” the siblings’ mom says, “Children are a piece of white paper. A good teacher teaches children not only knowledge, but also good learning habits. Being creative and being able to learn are lifelong skills and can be used in everyday situations. A good teacher and school are very important for children’s education and future.”

​Indeed, a good art training program not only teaches children drawing skills, but also puts emphasize on protecting and inspiring children’s imagination and creativity.  “This school has greatly improved my children’s drawing and imagination skills.” Mom says.

​During the eight years of studying at the Academy, Alisa and Eric have won multiple art contests, giving them more confidence to excel in their student life.  

​To the siblings, the Academy is more than just a school teaching art. “Art for them isn’t just a drag-and-drop class. It’s now something that they enjoy, something that they look forward to every week.” Mom says

​Art training program is one of the best ways to protect and promote children’s creativity, which is essentially a form of problem-solving. Children have the opportunity and confidence to take risks, challenge assumptions, and see things in a new way. 

(Eric, 2015-16 National PTA Drawing Contest School 2nd Place，5 years old)

Good art instructors are actually helping students use artistic passion and power to get through their academic, and transforming students into confident, creative adults who will go on to have successful careers in their chosen fields. 
It has been a great experience for their teacher to see the young artists’ growth and achievements.  

​Alisa and Eric have continued to learn art and created productive and proactive art during the period of school closure due to the COVID-19 epidemic.   

​Despite what may have seemed at one time “a stretch”, WCAAD student Dorothy Wei’s never-ending quest for her dream came true this year. Ringling College of Art and Design has accepted her for Entertainment Design in the Fall 2021 with a scholarship of $12,000 per year $48,000/4 years.  

​Additional Schools:
Laguna College of Art and Design—Entertainment Design--scholarship $9,000 per semester $72,000/4 years;
Art Center—Illustration.

​Dorothy Wei’s desire to stay the course and pursue a possible difficult challenge where she decided to delay her application to get a solid portfolio first, was worth every effort. She graduated high school and took courses at a community college while applying as a transfer working with us in the process. This particular situation is very common as our Academy has very diverse situations and stories.  At the end of the day all students enter college successfully. 

Ringling Art & Design is a private college located in Sarasota, Florida. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 1,605 undergraduate students. Admissions is somewhat competitive as the Ringling Art & Design acceptance rate is 64%. Popular majors include Entertainment art majors such as: Animation, Video Graphics and Special Effects, Illustration, and Cinematography and Video Production. 

Though not as strong technically as others, her work ethic is what stands out above others. Dorothy has gone beyond her limits and shows promise to take it far and beyond. 

Dorothy has been a humble student open to critiques, constantly working in all aspects of self. This is where her story took a turn and visual growth creating a hub for her art making an impact. Preparing her for a stable future is the sacrifice that can truly make a student succeed.  

An active lifestyle outside the classroom, she brings inspiration into her work. In high school, she was an avid Water polo participant competing with tournaments and games. She has been in Chinese and Anime clubs and K culture, as well as volunteering in Chinese schools helping instructors set up their classrooms and working with children. After graduating, Dorothy performed with the Guzheng 12 years up until the quarantine and singing with New U Life (singing performance) 2020 Jan, Asian EXPO (singing performance). Dorothy relationship with others is notable as she is always helping other students. Even in her personal life you will see her walking the dogs to help out neighbors and never think twice.

 In the past year, some students have already taken advantage of the WCAAD’s fantastic online classes with successful outcomes.

(WCAAD 11-year-old student artwork created at online class

(WCAAD 6-year-old student artwork created at online class

​The Academy encourages students who have not yet enrolled to participate in this enrichment program that is as nurturing as in-person classes. 

​(WCAAD 10-year-old student artwork created at online class)

​ (WCAAD 4-year-old student artwork created at online class)

The Academy is providing the same rigor and doing their best to accommodate the community with the same fun curriculum. 

​( WCAAD 14-year-old student artwork created at online class)

In March 2020 with a global crisis looming, WCAAD staff acted fast.  The Academy's instructors rapidly moved all classes online and kept operations running remotely without interruption.

​The WCAAD faculty and teachers have prepared online lessons that are accessible at home and nurturing to students. As long as you have Internet access, you can register the online art classes for your children right away.  No matter where you live and how far away you are from the school, your children are able to take the art classes of West California Academy of Art and Design (WCAAD), the WASC accredited school. 

WCAAD’s Virtual Online Courses saves you wasted time searching “how to make art” online videos and tutorials. Through the Academy’s virtual classes the same structured learning experience you would get at our prestigious accredited Art Academy in the comfort of your own home.
Offering:

• Instant Access to Structured Virtual Art Classes
• Learn to Create Art and Design Online
• Study Art Online anytime, anywhere
• Access to: Children’s, Transitional and Advance/Portfolio Preparation
• Online guidance counseling packages
• Choose from levels, medium and schedule preference
• WCAAD’s online art academy courses contain workshops, and focused assignment

​The Academy highly encourages parents and students to try out these online classes. These are available resources for parents and students who wish to continue to learn art and create productive and proactive art during the period of school closure due to the COVID-19 epidemic.   

(WCAAD 15-year-old student artwork created at online class)

( WCAAD 10-year-old student artwork created at online class)

WCAAD Now Offers 2021 Summer Children’s Online Art Class and Portfolio Online Intensive Program from June 14 to August 20, 10 Weeks, Monday--Friday: 9:00am--5:30pm (Portfolio Preparation Class 9:00am--7:00pm).

​Now in its 30+ year of Art education, The Academy continues to adapt the program and curriculum to offer new ways to have meaningful interactions with students to create innovating ways of thinking through the Arts and build self-expression, research and exploration.