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RSA STAFF SPOTLIGHT:
MR. KRESTON PECKHAM
How long have you been teaching/working at RSA?
I began teaching for the AASD in 2000 and have been with RSA since its second year.
How do you incorporate Art in your life outside of Renaissance?
Outside of Renaissance, I direct the plays and musicals for Appleton West. I have been doing theater since my sophomore year in high school. I also incorporate my love for art and history into my hobbies.
What are some of your hobbies outside of Art?
I am an avid reader of history, especially military history. One of my favorite historical authors is Erik Larson, author of Devil in the White City, Dead Wake, and several others.
I also build and paint historical miniatures. I am very passionate about this hobby and have been fortunate to have had my work displayed at the Neville Museum in Green Bay and at the Gettysburg National Military Park. Several of my pieces are in the hands of private collectors.
Do you have a favorite RSA memory?
I spent two years working closely with RSA students to write and ultimately present a theatrical production of the original play We Are Hmong.
Using first-person accounts gathered by the students from their own family histories, the play told the stories of the struggles of the Hmong people during the Vietnam War and those they faced upon their arrival in the United States.
The play was presented to approximately 2000 AASD students during matinees as well as evening performances for the community.
If YOU were a Renaissance student today – which class would you be most excited to take and why?
If I was a current RSA student I would definitely take Mr. Peckham’s The Arts go to War class. Not only do we get to look at how the arts have responded to war and conflict, we also get to each build a historical model.
Through generous grants from the AEF and private donors, each student receives a model kit and a set of modeling tools to complete their project.
Do you have any advice for current Renaissance students?
My advice for our current students is to take advantage of all of the opportunities the school has to offer.
Challenge yourself to break out of your comfort zone and take classes in as many different subjects and disciplines as you can.
You will not find another high school that offers such a wide variety of arts-based classes. Take advantage!