Kevin Schwenk, music director at Northampton County High School is busy these days working extra hours after school getting student actors ready for their performances in the musical, The Wizard of Oz. The production features Northampton High School and Kiptopeke Elementary School students in the familiar roles ranging from Dorothy and her companions, the Wicked Witch of the West, flying monkeys, to the Munchkins (played by Kiptopeke students). The Northampton County Education Foundation provided a grant to cover a significant part of the cost for the production, with additional funding from businesses, organizations and individuals.
Mr. Schwenk says he is excited about the potential benefits of this project. He states, “This is an wonderful opportunity for our students to become engaged in an educational project that is culturally enriching and entertaining. Involvement in this program also promotes students’ poise, self-confidence, public speaking and literacy skills.”
The performances of the Wizard of Oz are scheduled for the evenings of June 3 and 4 and the afternoon of June 5 at Northampton High School.
The mission of the Northampton County Education Foundation is to engage the community and mobilize resources to promote student performance and excellence in teaching in the county’s public schools. The Foundation offers grants to the schools and to individual teachers to support initiatives that help reshape, enhance or improve classroom education, as well as grants for special extra-curricular activities, such as field trips, speakers, and clubs and arts programs. In addition the Foundation annually provides scholarships to graduates of Northampton High School. The Foundation welcomes monetary contributions from the community to assist with its activities. For more information and to contribute, individuals can go to the Foundation’s website, ncedufoundation.com or mail contributions to Northampton County Education Foundation, PO Box 323, Cape Charles, VA 23310.
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For more information contact Linda Schulz, 757-331-1522, llschulz1@aol.com.
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