The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education’s course catalog includes a brand-new art class this school year: Introduction to Glass at Leilehua High – the first in a Hawaiʻi public school.

Dustin Hart, an acclaimed international 3-D artist who also happens to be the head of the Fine Arts Department at Leilehua High, conceived the course. He explains why this art form is crucial for today’s “digital native” students, who are raised in the age of glass technology.

“Students, they see their cell phones, they know what’s on it, but they know apps, they know social media, they don’t really know what makes it,” Hart said. “Understanding all the property elements of glass, how it can be used and leveraged, and the future of what they’re stepping into. After they graduate high school they’re going to be in a world that is of glass.”

“Just honestly, 10 out of 10, recommend,” said Ariana Whilhite, a senior at Leilehua High. “I think my favorite thing about glassblowing is that we have creative freedom, … and that’s honestly the best part about having Mr. Hart as a teacher.”

The semester-long course is a comprehensive immersion into the art of glass, focusing on fundamental concepts, materials, and techniques across three primary disciplines: kiln-forming, glassblowing, and coldworking. Students explore the unique properties of glass, learning how to manipulate its form, light, and transparency. Over 40 students are currently enrolled in the class.

Sustainability is at the core of the glass class. Hart embedded a high-efficiency electric furnace that can also be used with solar power to cut electricity costs. Students also engage in stewardship of their community through their recycled glass program. To stretch the class budget, the community brings glass bottles for the students to melt and upcycle. 

“They’ve learned stewardship of their community,” Hart noted. “We have a recycling program where the community is bringing in recycled glass. And the first thing that we do is we kind of wash that glass, take care of that glass, talk about where it comes from, what it’s made of, its chemical properties, break it down, melt it.”

He hopes students will be able to create ornaments out of the recycled green glass bottles, rolling them in gold leaf and selling them as Christmas ornaments with “Mules” written on them. 

Glass is an art medium that requires more than just creativity. According to Whilhite, she is learning not only design concepts but also resiliency.

“It also helps you try not to be a complete perfectionist,” she said. “When I first joined this class, I struggled with always trying to be perfect. But you know what. The little mistakes can always make it better. I’ve had multiple pieces where there’ve been mistakes along the way and they turned out beautifully.”

Hart shared that this class also teaches students valuable skills for life after graduation: “I’m also working with the students — demonstrating leadership, humility, service to the community. You don’t always get a partner who has the same vision as you, but you have to learn how to work with one another to accomplish the same goal. I think that’s essential for the workforce.” 

Imagination, resilience, leadership, collaboration, and stewardship of the community — these are all essentials needed when creating masterpieces, both in glass and as a successful public school graduate.

For more information on Leilehua High’s Intro to Glass or their other fine arts classes, contact [email protected].