TCC Art Fest to feature first public performance of revived band

This year’s annual Tuscarawas Central Catholic Art Fest and Open House will be a special one with the first official public performance of the newly resurrected band program.

The event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 26. The band will perform first at 5:30 p.m.

“The fifth and sixth graders will be playing a piece on their own, followed by a joint piece with all of the kids grades five through 12, and then the junior/senior high school group will finish the performance with two pieces,” Lindsey Nicholson, band director, said. “I tried to pick music that would both excite and challenge the students, while still being attainable for this new band.”

The band began working on their pieces for the concert after Christmas break.

“I’ve tried to make every rehearsal intentional for the short time that we have together each day,” Nicholson said. “The students have worked hard in the last seven months and I’m excited for them to show off their hard work in their first public performance.”

Information on joining the band program will be available at the event. Entertainment will include the elementary choirs. The traditional school alma mater, which was lost through the years then rediscovered, will be sung near the end of the event. All are welcome to join in the singing, especially alumni.

Officials at Tuscarawas Central Catholic Jr/Sr High School, Tuscarawas Central Catholic Elementary in Dover and Immaculate Conception Elementary in Dennison are looking forward to the event, which will feature artwork from all three schools.

In addition to many types of traditional art forms, the displays will include some created by art and tech class students using an AutoCAD program, wood burning techniques and a 3D pen. The elementary schools will display individual art projects created just for the open house.

"We’ll have a lot of different interactive stations that are going to be set up dealing with some of our elective classes and our clubs and groups, and then also we'll have athletics represented," Prinicipal Jennifer Calvo said.

Displays will be spread throughout the building in hallways, classrooms and the cafeteria with the musical performances in the gymnasium.

“Scholar Challenge will be having some sample questions for people to try out, and our home economics class is going to be doing some samples,” Calvo said. Other clubs include Chess Club, Drama Club and International Club.

After a survey was sent to the students, the home economics class was added. They wanted to learn skills that could help them in their daily lives.

"They have just done some amazing things in home ec. I walked in one day and they were making little lap blankets. I know they helped with Immaculate Conception’s nativity play and in designing the costumes," Calvo said.

The students enjoy learning.

"Our students are so incredibly talented, they're willing to try lots of new things, and they just kind of lean into it, which is great,” Calvo said.

Calvo has seen it in the student’s participation in the JustWrite Ohio, an interscholastic creative writing program and competition for high school students.

The program is similar to the Power of the Pen competition for middle school students.

“Our kids have always competed and done really well,” Calvo said. “We're so proud of our writers. The Art Fest and Open House is another opportunity to say, look at what we can do."

Several students will move on to higher level writing competitions later this year.

Everyone is welcome to attend the event.

"It's not just for our existing parents, but anyone who's interested in what the Tuscarawas County Catholic schools have to offer,” Calvo said. “We'll have information that night from both elementaries and information on how to enroll here as well.”

Information about scholarships will be available too.

More than 90% of enrolled families are able to receive 100% tuition assistance.

The event is a good night out for families.

“Families just have a great time running around, watching, listening, hearing, experiencing, talking and learning,” Calvo said.

Tuscarawas Central Catholic Junior/Senior High School is located at 777 Third St. NE in New Philadelphia.