At North Point High School there is a lot of focus on the sports at our school, but I believe the arts deserve just as much attention. Due to this I have decided to interview one of the art teachers who has been at North Point for a long time. Dr. Alo teaches many different art classes such as Ceramics and Painting.

Over the week I asked her five different questions for her to think about and answer after thinking over them. Dr. Alo was proud to have this opportunity to share about herself and her classes. Below is the interview between us and her answers to the questionnaire.

“What is your favorite part of being an art teacher?”

“My favorite part of being an art teacher is watching students solve design problems creatively, work with different mediums, and find their voice through their artworks.” Since I have Dr. Alo multiple times this year, I know how passionate she is when it comes to being an art teacher.

“What made you want to teach an art class?”

“I actually never wanted to be a teacher when I was younger, instead I wanted to be a medical doctor. But, when in high school as a sophomore, I was forced to take a fine art for graduation, and selected pottery…that was all there was to it, I fell in love with the medium. You never know when something along life’s journey will make a path you thought you were on, change.” Her answer to this really surprised me because her skills and passion would lead you to assume this was the occupation she always wanted. Her story truly shows how it’s okay to not be fully decided when in college or pursuing higher education. You never truly know where your life will take you.

“Do you have a favorite class to teach and why?”

Students always love to ask teachers if they have a favorite class. Dr. Alo said, “I enjoy each class for different reasons. I enjoy ceramic classes because the medium of clay offers endless possibilities for students to discover. I enjoy painting class as seeing students develop their style through various paint mediums encourages them to learn how not only to use the medium but to express themselves. I enjoy Art 2 class because it allows students to explore various mediums and learn new techniques as they try to find their voice and express themselves.”

“What is some advice you’d give to students interested in improving their artworks and/or skills?”

A lot of students may struggle with art and sometimes feel like it’s not fully complete. So, I asked her about advice. “The advice I give is to continue practicing even outside of the class and experiment.”

“Can you tell me a little about yourself as an artist and some of your achievements.”

Dr. Alo is a talented artist herself, and I wanted to hear about her accomplishments. “I exhibit my own artwork in various galleries either in solo or group shows, and the latest exhibitions took place on Capitol Hill in February 2025. In October this year my artwork was exhibited in San Francisco, California where my family and I were flown out for the event. My own artwork is meant to be expressive. I have a strong background in observational drawing, printmaking, and clay construction. I have learned to pay close attention to the details of objects to assist in the translation of an emotion. My personal work reflects the emotion felt at the time. I not only translate these emotions through clay but also painting and drawing.”

After hearing Dr. Alo’s answers, I hope you will have a new outlook on the arts as well as Dr. Alo’s class. Maybe you’ve even been inspired to pick back up that medium you were once passionate about. Or if you’ve never has a passion for art, maybe this will give you a new outlook.