Dear Citizens,

At Northwest Rankin the arts have been a growing community that encompasses as many students as the sports teams at that very same school. Our performing arts building is less than adequate for the needs of the students who use it. Schools across Mississippi with less of an arts program have performing arts centers much larger and better than ours. As the bond issue for a new high school in the Northwest Rankin zone was passed last year, I and many of my arts colleagues were very disappointed to see that a new performing arts building/center was not included in the plans. As many of the Rankin county citizens know the district in the past has spent more money on sports stadiums and fields than in other departments. To a person who does not belong to a "sport" this is very disheartening and makes most of us feel we are not supported in our endeavors. I could argue many other problems that could be talked about in the arts but this to me is the most important. Join me in signing this petition, to be submitted to the school board, for a new performing arts center. This petition is aimed more directly towards parents and tax payers in the Northwest zone of the Rankin county school district but is open to any supporter of the arts.

The benefits of adding a new performing arts center are plentiful. First lets mention that the arts department is to be getting its own wing in the new high school. Could it be so difficult to add on to this plan and improve on our performing arts center? I think not. Many schools have classrooms in their PACs. Oak Grove High School's for example is attached to the school and is used for band halls and the auditorium itself is also used as a mass testing center. On top of the academic benefits it could ensure, many schools also use their PACs for community events and make revenue off these events. For those of you who believe there need to be more jobs, there would need to be people to ensure the building is ran correctly and the county is not lacking in hard working people and even hard working students. Students who want to pursue a career in media, trades in sound, lighting, and or performance space management can learn essential skills that they might not be able to get anywhere until college. 

Events, assemblies, band concerts, plays, musicals, show choir and choir competitions... the list is endless as to the use of a new performing arts center at northwest and hopefully with the support of the people of our beautiful city and across the county the arts could grow and Northwest could be known for more than its sports programs.

Thank you,

Chance Conn