Gardner Edgerton’s football team has received so much funding in the past few years while other parts of the school struggle.
I believe that funds should go to the performing arts department. Gardner Edgerton has had awards given to them for their performing arts department and it receives little to no notice, however sports, such as football receive far more recognition.
“[Football kids] get the attention or the money, theater kids don’t get recognized that much,” Amelia Terry, sophomore said.
Current funds getting sent to the performing arts program aren’t enough, many tools are broken in the theater department and the funds aren’t enough to repair them.
“Like a lot of our systems are broken or we don’t have enough of it to effectively run a show and that’s a shame because there’s such a big opportunity and potential there,” Aster Power, sophomore said.
Theater believes there’s lots of missed opportunities because of cost issues.
“We lack a lot of supplies we need and a lot of stuff that would really benefit our program,” Power said.
Recently supplies have been lacking with materials needed to build sets in the theater. Wood and nails are reused to build sets for each performance.
“I mean we have wood to make the sets but we don’t have enough wood because our budget is so small,” Terry said.
Sets aren’t the only task that gets affected by the lack of funding, students show concern for the lighting and sound aspect as well.
“The two spotlights in the booth are almost completely broken and they keep going in and out,” Terry said. “Multiple lights are broken.”
Students are concerned that the talent in theater goes to waste because of the funding.
“I feel like a lot of our performing arts programs are incredibly good like as a school we have extremely talented individuals in programs that just aren’t being funded or being pushed to their potential.” Power said.
Theater isn’t the only concern in the performing arts department. Students are worried for orchestra and choir as well.
“I’ve definitely noticed that there were some opportunities that the choirs in our program could do but we don’t have the funding,” Power said.
Trips are also getting set back for students not being able to afford them while sports fees are a lot cheaper.
“I just think it’s unfair to make the people pay more just because like our school isn’t funding the extracurriculars other than the sports, [because] there’s other stuff, too,” Gabby Young, sophomore said.
