ASHLAND — Students from nine school districts hope to turn Central Park into an art zone May 17.
They’ll exhibit paintings, play music and dance. Area professional artists will do demonstrations. And midway through, everyone will merge for what organizers hope will be a world-record performance of the Cotton-Eye Joe.
It’s called Spring Into the Arts. Arts and humanities teachers have worked since August to organize the showcase of student talent, said Norma Meek, chairwoman of the event. Its twofold purpose is to show off students’ talent while strengthening their academic command of arts and humanities, which are part of the core content in Kentucky schools.
The nine districts include Ashland, Boyd County, Fairview, Greenup County, Russell, Raceland-Worthington, Lawrence County, Holy Family and Rose Hill. Students from all grade levels will participate, Meek said.
What makes the arts extravaganza more exciting is the level of collaboration, said committee member Patsy Lindsey, an administrator in the Ashland district. For instance, the Russell, Paul G. Blazer and Boyd County high school choruses will sing together and middle school bands from George M. Verity and Boyd County will perform jointly.
Artists in the community will set up stations to demonstrate sculpture, woodwork, jewelry and other forms.
At other stations, students will make and take home their own projects.
Each district will have a tent and display boards to set up student artwork.
The mass performance of the Cotton-Eye Joe starts at 12:30 p.m. at the tennis courts. Students in all the districts have been practicing the folk dance, Meek said. She plans to shoot video of the performance and submit it to the Guinness Book of World Records.
The event was conceived in the aftermath of a joint professional development session between arts and humanities teachers in the Ashland, Boyd County and Russell districts last fall. The districts are in a partnership with the Paramount Arts Center and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which since 2001 has provided artists for professional development.
All performances are open to the public.
MIKE JAMES can be reached at mjames@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2652.
Local News
Central Park arts day planned for area schools
- Local News
-
-
Pooches take to the street in Dog Jog
They were running with the big dogs Saturday in Grayson.
-
A Smith Branch Legacy
Six generations of Robinsons have called Smith Branch home.
-
Court battle heating up over stretch of blacktop
The court fight is just heating up over a block-long stretch of blacktop in Grayson.
More parties are piling on in the lawsuit accusing Grayson of passing an illegal ordinance to take ownership of the pavement. -
Regional jails ‘a total failure’
As the debate over a proposal to create a new Northeast Regional Jail Authority continues, some officials with the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center in Paintsville are watching closely.
-
Beshear in West Liberty to help in tornado recovery
State legislatures and Gov. Steve Beshear gathered in West Liberty on Friday to sign three bills that will help in the recovery efforts of the tornado-stricken town.
-
Students get more than a scoop’s share
There’s nothing more refreshing than ice cream on a hot day, and no one knows that better than the principal of Hager Elementary School in Ashland.
-
2 school aides part of drug arrests
Two elementary school aides and three other people were arrested Thursday in a Carter County drug investigation.
-
5K run main attraction for Final Friday in Greenup
Greenup’s Final Friday included the usual live entertainment and car show, but a 5K run also attracted many to town Friday evening.
-
Fla.-to-Boyd drug ring defendants plead guilty
One of the eight people charged in an alleged Florida-to-Boyd County pill-trafficking ring pleaded guilty Thursday and a second is expected to do the same next week.
A third defendant in the case pleaded guilty May 18. -
Carter school layoffs possible
Carter County schools are looking at deep budget cuts and layoffs.
About 20 may lose their jobs this year, treasurer Andy Lyons said. Lyons spoke to a reporter Thursday after presenting a tentative budget to the school board last week. - More Local News Headlines
-
Pooches take to the street in Dog Jog
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament
Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought
Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
