County school for arts possible
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on June 22, 2015 1:46 PM
Goldsboro High School would be an ideal spot to introduce a performing arts program, officials say.
County Commissioner John Bell met recently with the curriculum and instruction committee for the Wayne County Board of Education, where the topic gained some traction.
"This has been going on for about six years, we have been kicking this around," he said. "There's nothing in the eastern part of the state as far as high school."
The option he proposed would provide a venue for students to pursue art, choral, band and drama, he said.
Bell clarified that he was there not as an elected official, but as a private citizen.
"I interviewed all kinds of people about this particular program," he told the school officials, which included committee members Pat Burden, chairperson, Rick Pridgen and Jennifer Strickland, as well as Interim Superintendent Dr. Sandra McCullen and other central office administrators. "Everybody that I have talked to thinks that this is a grand idea."
Bell said he had long felt that the city school could be a good central location for an academy-type program in performing arts.
"Goldsboro High School was designed for this type of program," he said, noting the facility's auditorium and stage.
Not to mention the potential for talent in the county, he said, suggesting it would be a boost "for the Majestys" -- a reference to the community's recent representative who appeared on last year's season of "American Idol."
"By having this in our county, that'll just give them a leg up on going further," he said. "A lot of people don't realize there's a lot of talent here in Wayne County."
Bell said he had broached the subject with the board of commissioners.
"Out of seven, six said, 'yes, we'll support that program if you wanted to do that,'" he told the committee.
Pridgen said when he first got on the school board 12 years ago, there had been much discussion about the lack of a strings program in the district. Around that time, he attended a national conference, where a group of students from Plano, Texas, performed. He went on to visit that district to learn more about its strings program, he said.
"VH-1 Save the Music Foundation helped fund a lot of what they had started in the schools," he said. "They were in the third year of that program. They had over 400 students on a waiting list for that. I'm just talking about strings. I'm not talking about dance or anything.
"What really sparked my interest was that these weren't children that came from wealthy homes. These were kids that would never have had the opportunity to play these instruments."
He said he had investigated further and had a positive meeting with "folks at VH-1," who are supportive of music programs in the public schools.
"They were very interested in us filling out applications and that type of thing," he said.
Pridgen said years ago, the board had requested putting $300,000 in the budget for such a program. But that was before Wayne School of Engineering, when issues with the state, Judge Howard Manning and GHS delayed the discussion.
The climate may have changed, he said.
"I think we can get money from the VH-1 Save the Music Foundation," he said. "But I think we can get some grant money from that area. I think some local businesses will buy into this as well. I think there's money out there that can be found to start a program."
He said the School of Engineering has demonstrated that students from all over the county will buy into a specialty school if there is interest in the subject matter.
"We can't -- the county commissioners and school board can't, we can't make people move or go to a certain school," he said. (But) we can change the demographics of who walks down the halls. We have done that at the School of Engineering. We have proved that. It's already been proven to work one time and I believe it can be proven again.
"I think the time has come. I think it's a possibility. I don't think we just need to look at strings. Look at all the programs we're not offering locally."
The idea might also have merit at the middle and elementary school levels, he added, if not now certainly in the future.
"I talked to all of our legislators and all of them are on board with this type of program an they would support it," Bell said. "I'm on board with it an a lot of people in this county are on board with it. I don't think I left any (stone) unturned and I don't think I have had one person, well maybe one person, not in favor of it. That's my idea."
Mrs. Strickland said she had been in favor of introducing a performing arts program at GHS for years and believes it would be worthwhile.
"I'm excited. I think this is a great thing," she said.
The committee agreed to investigate the idea, and funding sources, further.