Our Mission
At Williamsburg School for the Arts & Innovation, we believe the future belongs to those who can think creatively and lead with purpose. Our mission is to cultivate creativity, confidence, collaboration, and curiosity through transformative experiences in theatre, the arts, and innovative learning. ​As Williamsburg’s only year-round youth theatre program, WSA serves as a creative learning hub where young people grow as artists and as individuals. Through collaboration and performance, they learn to think deeply, express themselves authentically, and use their creativity to make a positive impact on the world around them.
Our vision
At Williamsburg School for the Arts & Innovation, learning is alive with creativity and guided by curiosity. Students explore ideas, take risks, and grow through meaningful artistic experiences supported by mentors who value their voice and individuality. Rooted in theatre, the arts, and innovation, our approach builds confidence and fosters collaboration, empowering young people to express themselves, connect with others, and use their creativity to make an impact in the world around them.
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Our Pillars​
Curiosity
Every great idea begins with wonder. We encourage students to ask questions, explore possibilities, and find joy in discovery, both in the arts and in themselves.
Creativity
Imagination drives growth. Through theatre, art, and innovative projects, students learn to express their ideas, think in new ways, and bring their visions to life.
Confidence
Through performance, design, and collaboration, students learn to take risks, embrace feedback, and trust in their own abilities, gaining confidence that extends far beyond the stage.
Collaboration
Art is a shared experience. Students learn to listen, contribute, and create together, discovering the strength and connection that come from teamwork and community.
Our Story & Founder
For as long as she can remember, Krista John has been drawn to creativity...storytelling, theatre, art, and the ways they help people understand one another. Originally from just outside New York City, she grew up surrounded by the arts and eventually turned that love into her life’s work. Before stepping into school leadership, Krista worked as a photographer and owned a community art studio, experiences that deepened her belief that creativity builds confidence, connection, and empathy.
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After nearly two decades in education, serving in Montessori, International Baccalaureate, and charter school settings, Krista and her husband, Garry, spent 18 months traveling the country in an RV with their children, visiting 43 states and rediscovering the beauty of learning through experience. That journey led them to Williamsburg, a place that felt like home from the start, and to Krista’s vision for the Williamsburg School for the Arts & Innovation (WSA).
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At WSA, Krista has combined her many passions to create meaningful opportunities for young people to grow as thinkers, performers, and creators. Through its youth theatre troupe, Page to Stage, students bring stories to life in full productions, most recently with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Wizard of Oz – Youth Edition. Watching each student’s growth, from the first rehearsal to opening night, is, for Krista, the most joyful and rewarding part of her work.
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Outside of WSA, Krista continues to nurture creativity and community through The Wordsmith, her mobile bookshop that pops up at 2nd Sunday each month in Downtown Williamsburg. Whether through books, theatre, or the arts, Krista believes that when young people are encouraged to follow their passions, they don’t just build skills, they discover who they are and how they can make the world a more creative and compassionate place.