GASTON CHR I STI AN SC HO O L
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
Fine Art
Prayerfully Supporting the Arts
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t is with great excitement that we share with you our plans to build The Fine Arts Center at Gaston Christian School! This outstanding addition will complement the wonderful education our students are receiving. One of our Ends Statements (things we aspire to achieve) says that “Students will excel spiritually, physically, academically, and artistically according to their potential.” The construction of this building will help us fulfill this End. Over the past several years we have been deliberate to deliver our students a biblical worldview, college prep education that is enhanced by our technology and athletic programs. While fine arts have been part of the program, it has not been a point of emphasis. With the addition of our Fine Arts Center and the dedication of our parents, grandparents, friends and faculty we hope to give our students a spectacular experience through visual and performing arts. The Fine Arts Center will house a 625-seat auditorium with specifically designed theater seating, enhanced audio equipment, and stage lighting to Dr. Marc Stout make our drama productions, choral Head of School and instrumental performances and programs worthy of the attention they deserve. We will also have a dedicated choral room, a band room, two art classrooms, a costuming room and a dance room for our students. This facility is a much needed addition to our growing program. The auditorium will also be used for weekly chapels, teacher in-service training, baccalaureate, and Open House presentations. What a blessing it will be to have facilities specifically designed for the arts. Currently we have to convert the gymnasium, bring in 2
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folding chairs and displace our P.E. and athletic teams for weeks at a time. The Fine Arts Center will not only place an emphasis on the arts, it will allow our athletic teams to utilize the gymnasium to a greater extent as well. In the pages that follow, each of our areas of the arts will share with you their vision for arts at Gaston Christian School. In a time when many schools are eliminating or diminishing the importance of the arts in education, we will be taking an aggressive approach toward expansion of the arts at Gaston Christian School. The construction of this building will cost approximately $2,500,000. We currently have a small portion of that amount pledged and a smaller amount already donated. We are currently waiting to hear from a foundation that is interested in this project. Their gift would allow us to proceed with construction. However, we will still need many of you to participate in funding for The Fine Arts Center. There is an amazing story in the Book of Judges from the Old Testament. Dr. Laura Egeln Gideon, a mighty warrior from the tribe Board Chair of Manasseh, was directed by the Lord to attack the Midianites, a huge army of countless men. As the story unfolds, God showed Gideon that he would defeat this mighty army by using just 300 warriors. In fact, God caused Gideon to trim the number of warriors so that everyone would clearly know that it was God who brought about the victory. As we look at the construction of the Fine Arts Center, we want to ask for 300 warriors to join us, much like Gideon’s army, by donating $1,000 each to fund this project. The need is clear, the
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time is now, and you can help us make this a reality. Enclosed, please find a pledge card for your consideration. Our hope is that we will receive over 300 Gideon Gifts in the next two weeks. Will you join in this effort? For some of you, this might be more than you can do at this time; if so, please know any size gift is most appreciated. For some, you may want to give your gift over a period of time; this is possible as
well. It has been said that “not everybody can give everything, but everybody can give something.� Would you prayerfully consider your level of gift to the Fine Arts Center, fill out your pledge card, and pray for our success? We look forward to see how God will bless our efforts. He alone will receive all the praise for the completion of this new addition. Thank you for your prayers and support. FINE ARTS CENTER
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PROPOSED F
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FINE ARTS CENTER
DRAWN BY:
CHECKED BY:
NEW BUILDING FOR:
FINE ARTS FACILITY & AUDITORIUM MAIN FLOOR PLAN
SHEET TITLE:
HE Y
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DATE:
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GASTON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 1625 LOWELL-BETHESDA RD. LOWELL, NC
SEAL 4842 EN YM GINEER T A ON D H. C
TH CAROL OR SS O IN FE N RO
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PROJECT TITLE:
LICENSED CONTRACTORS, IN THEIR RESPECTIVE TRADES, SHALL FOLLOW ALL OSHA SEFETY GUIDELINES.
THIS DRAWING AND THE DESIGN SHOWN ARE THE PROPERTY OF RAYMOND H. CATHEY, PE. THE REPRODUCTION, COPYING OR USE OF THIS DRAWING WITHOUT THE WRITTEN CONSENT IS PROHIBITED AND ANY INFRINGEMENT WILL BE SUBJECT TO LEGAL ACTION.
P.O. BOX 819 HARRISBURG, N.C. 28075
704-201-8873
13121 GRAYMIST DR. CHARLOTTE, N.C. 28215
raycatheyeng@aol.com
RAYMOND CATHEY PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER
FLOOR PLAN
SEPT 2015
RHC
REVISIONS:
RAY CATHEY
SHEET
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DRAMA DEP
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e are most true to the image of God when we are creative. At the center of each human, the image of God awaits awakening. This
awakening comes through the redemptive work centered in Christ who thrusts us into a “new creation” where we are released to reflect our Creator’s image through acts of creativity. And so we create songs, paintings, dances, sculptures, poems, psalms, dramas, symphonies, and writings that point to the light of the dawn breaking over the shadowed Les Schofield Drama Department
hills of the hopeless. Such ‘arts’ properly flow from deep
communion with God in the company of mentors who train us to listen well and present clearly. The proposed Fine Arts Center would provide a dedicated space where our students can awaken and focus on mastering this process for a world awaiting the redemptive touch of God. 6
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ART DEPA
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ut of the countless attributes of God, in His Word, the very first glimpse we have of His character is that He is “creative.” Genesis 1:1 states, “In the beginning, God c r e a t e d...” In addition to this fact, being the master creator of the universe, He has given many people special gifts and talents. Among these are the abilities to sing, to play instruments, to act, and to paint and draw. These gifts are given from God with the purpose of glorifying Him and growing His kingdom. When students recognize God has gifted them with specific talents and abilities it boosts their selfesteem which has a direct effect on their Jill Overton overall countenance Art Department and attitude. A positive mindset yields a student ready to learn in other academic areas and to be productive. The new fine arts building will be a place that is vital to the growth of individual students as it will be a place which fosters and equips artists, musicians and actors. It will be a place which manifests the good gifts God has already placed within the students attending Gaston Christian School. 8
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CHORAL DE
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hroughout the Book of Psalms we are repeatedly commanded to “Sing to the Lord…” The choral program at Gaston Christian School gives students ample opportunity to follow that command. Additionally, involvement in a music program has a positive impact on students’ academic achievement and overall well-being. The Fine Arts program at Gaston Christian has always been abundantly blessed with talent and passion. Specifically, Honors Ensemble is known throughout Gaston County for their high caliber musical performances. Having our own choral facilities will better enable us to focus and develop our students’ God-given vocal instruments while continuing to nurture their love of music. Currently we rehearse in the second floor multi-purpose room of the Middle/High School building. Since it is also one of our lunchrooms, choral students must move the tables, pick up trash, and bring out folding chairs every day before we can begin our rehearsal. A room designed for choral instruction will not only diminish transition time before we Karla Pursley begin, but it will also greatly enhance Choral Department our quality of sound during rehearsals. Our performances presently take place in the school’s gymnasium, which weakens and distorts our overall sound during concerts. Having an auditorium designed for the performing arts will allow students to experience a true concert environment with proper acoustics, stage, and lighting. The new building will help students give their best performances, prepare them for future endeavors, and show that Gaston Christian truly values the fine arts. Please help us continue to build all of our Fine Arts programs by supporting our new Fine Arts facility. 10
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MUSIC DEP
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he instrumental music program at Gaston Christian has grown tremendously in the past few years. The students work really hard to give their best. Although we have been blessed with our own rehearsal space for the past year, it is small and does not give the students a true sense of how they sound. A band room would not only give us more space and better sound quality but would also give students a room that would be their own space. John Gunter Developing Band Instructor a sense of ownership is essential to a healthy instrumental program. The Fine Arts center will allow students to experience their performances on a stage designed specifically for music and drama. If you are a patron of the arts, please consider supporting these young artists and this arts facility. 12
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DRAMA DEP
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ight years ago, the Gaston Christian Players started with one class of twenty-one students working out of a multipurpose room that was shared with several other classes. I remember telling the cast of Little Women, the first production of the newly formed Gaston Christian Players, “I know you don’t understand why I’m pushing you so hard in rehearsals, but when you step onto a real stage on opening night and when you hear the applause of your first audience, you’ll finally understand.” A few weeks later, as the curtain call music echoed throughout the gym, I stood in the sound booth proudly watching the beaming faces of young actors and technicians that glowed with the realization that hard work pays off, that dedication produces great results, and that passion can be ignited in even the humblest of beginnings. Today’s drama department has come a long way since that night--more than 45 students attend four theatre arts classes that work together to produce a three-show season each year on a self-sustaining budget. We’re proud of our students’ work, and we’re proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish Maralie Medlin through the blessing of God and the support Drama Department of our administrators, staff, and parents; however, we haven’t reached our full potential. We are still missing a vital resource that will enhance our programming and our students’ learning potential: a performance space that can meet the growing demands of our student body by allowing us to offer more theatre arts classes, to produce higher quality work and to participate in regional competitions. Unquestionably, the Gaston Christian Players have accomplished great feats in eight years, but they’re ready for the next phase in which they can step out onto a new stage filled with new opportunities and challenges. 14
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