The expanding fine arts department and softball team outgrew the facilities provided to them and sparked the need for an expansion. 

    “The most important thing is there will be bigger classrooms for both me and Mrs. Snyder,” Brett Young, Fine Arts Department Coordinator, said. “It will also really help with dressing rooms for the musical and play, dance shows, all of that.” 

    Young coaches the Speech and Debate team that just last year took seven students to the National Speech and Debate Tournament and won the 5A State champion title. The expanded classrooms will serve to accommodate the team as a practice space and open up space to potential new members of the speech and debate classes. 

    “We are continuing to get more equipment and then once construction is done, the broadcasting class and the technical production class [will be available to students],” Young said.

    The new space will be beneficial to more than just the competitive team, as the new broadcasting class and technical productions class taught by Mary Beth Snyder will become available to students interested in the non-performing aspects of the arts. 

    “We do tend to have to cut a number of students from auditions just because we don’t have the backstage space,” Young said. “This will definitely help with not worrying about that as much.”

    The fall musical will be the first performance once the renovations are completed. The performers are excited about the costume closet and upgraded dressing room space added in the expansion. The additional space will also hopefully allow for larger productions involving more cast and crew members in years to come.