Walnut Hill: Finding Your Canvas
As one of the top arts high schools in the US, Walnut Hill provides young artists with the space, support, and inspiration to grow both creatively, academically, and personally. Roma Hara Yamazaki arrived at Walnut Hill as a freshman with a suitcase and a passion for visual art. A junior Visual Art major, Roma has spent two years navigating boarding school life while developing into a confident artist.
Art is Found Beyond the Comfortable
Roma's first semester at Walnut Hill tested her comfort zone. Placed in ceramic and sculpture classes, mediums completely foreign to her. She remembers feeling intimidated, but still excited.
"I was very scared to try anything new when I first got here. I got placed in a ceramic class and a sculpture class and thought, ‘I don't know the first thing about clay.’”
But something shifted. In that classroom, and continuing over nearly two years, Roma learned that failure is part of artistic growth. She discovered oil painting, explored apparel design, and deepened her mastery of her foundational loves: watercolor and graphite drawing.
Her biggest area of growth as a student and an artist? Confidence.
"Now that I've been at Walnut Hill for a few years, I've definitely broadened my horizons. I learned to do things on my own and try new things, and even if they don't work out well or I hate what I made, I know I learned something valuable in the process.”
Meet Judy, a fearless young actress whose time at Walnut Hill has turned simple rehearsal spaces into places of transformation, where supportive mentors and bold creative choices have helped her grow onstage and beyond.
The Magic of Shared Passion
What makes Walnut Hill's art spaces special isn't just the facilities; it's the culture. Walking into one of many visual art studios on campus, Roma encountered something she had never experienced in traditional schools: peers equally devoted to their craft.
"I just feel blessed to be in a space where everyone feels the same passion as I do. If you go to an arts class at my last school, they’re sometimes just slacking off or talking, not doing anything. It made me feel ashamed to put in a good effort.”
But at Walnut Hill, the atmosphere is different. Roma has noticed that often, students are so focused on their work that no one even looks up when she walks into a classroom.
“That really inspires me, and makes me feel grateful just to be here.”
Meet James, a Walnut Hill musician whose passion for the cello and love of deep academic inquiry have shaped an experience where creativity, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary learning thrive side by side.
Balancing Art and Academics
A common misconception: art schools sacrifice academic rigor. Roma knows this is not the case at Walnut Hill. Though her priority is visual art, the academic foundation she’s experienced at Walnut Hill has her feeling confident she will be able to pursue her post-secondary goals, whatever they may be.
"People are very dedicated to their academics as well because their academics and arts go hand in hand. You can't just do your arts and slack off in academics because it's still high school and people have futures ahead of them that they want to experience."
Looking Forward
As Roma enters her junior and senior years, she's thinking beyond Walnut Hill. She’s interested in attending a university in the US, possibly for a liberal arts, psychology, global studies, or philosophy major. For Roma, the best part about choosing Walnut Hill is the ability to balance her artistic and academic interests without sacrificing one over the other.
"My art doesn't just stay within the studio," Roma reflects. "I feel like it's expanded more into my everyday life as well."
For now, Roma is exactly where she needs to be: in a community of passionate creators, developing not just as an artist, but as a person who sees beauty in everything.
Enjoyed Roma’s story? Walnut Hill is more than a school - it’s a place to belong. To learn more about our theater community and the application process, click here.