A Place to Belong: Parent Michelle Pinski on Finding The Academy
When Michelle Pinski reflects on her son Ian’s journey to The Chicago Academy for the Arts, one word comes up again and again: belonging.
Academy Parent Michelle Pinski
From an early age, Ian Pinski (Dance ’28) gravitated toward performance. By just four years old, his love for musical theatre and dance was already unmistakable. As he grew, so did his talent — but so did the challenges of being an artistic young person in a more traditional school environment.
“When you’re surrounded by boys who only care about traditional sports, it makes it hard for an artistic kid to fit in,” Michelle shared. “This made Ian’s school experience less than ideal, especially as he got older and moved into middle school.”
Like so many families searching for the right educational fit, the Pinskis wanted a place where their child could be challenged academically, nurtured artistically, and accepted fully for who he was.
They found that place at The Academy.
“As a parent, we wanted nothing more than for our son to be accepted into The Academy’s program,” Michelle said. “We deeply value The Academy’s commitment to both academic and artistic excellence, and even more so for their nurturing community.”
For Michelle, The Academy represented more than a prestigious arts education. It represented possibility.
“I knew The Academy would be the ideal place for Ian to grow academically, artistically, and personally,” she said. “The Academy offers such a warm, welcoming environment for students to grow amongst like-minded learners, and I knew The Academy would be a place where Ian could be his true self without judgment.”
That sense of belonging has made all the difference.
Since joining The Academy, Ian has flourished in both his academic and arts training. But perhaps even more importantly, he has found a community that understands him.
“Academy kids are supportive of one another since they all understand the challenges of being an ‘art kid’ in the traditional school milieu,” Michelle explained.
Today, Ian’s world looks very different than it once did.
“Ian is thriving,” Michelle said. “He has friends across all departments at the school. He is being pushed by his friends and the school’s faculty to be a better artist and a better student.”
For many families, an arts education is about helping students pursue their passions. But at The Academy, students also gain something equally valuable: the skills and confidence to navigate life beyond high school.
“One aspect of an education here at The Academy that is often overlooked is the life-skill preparation that comes with being an Academy student,” Michelle shared. “Our kids know how to manage their time, how to be dedicated, how to be way more prepared than the typical teenager.”
“The Academy is teaching more than just arts and academics,” she continued. “It’s teaching the kids to be responsible young adults and to have strong core values.”
For the Pinski family, the impact of The Academy reaches far beyond the classroom or studio.
“The Academy is not only a gift to Ian; it’s a gift to our entire family,” Michelle said. “Seeing our son content, fulfilled, and nurtured from his academic experience IS a gift.”
Every day at The Academy, students like Ian are discovering what becomes possible when they are surrounded by peers who understand them, faculty who believe in them, and a community that celebrates who they are. If your child has always felt like the “art kid,” The Academy may be exactly where they’re meant to be. Start your admissions journey and discover a school built for young artists to thrive.
