Alison Andrews, Theatre Teacher, Catawba County Schools

I love my school, students, and program with all of my heart and we are a completely self-funded department. We receive no help in raising funds for our productions and are responsible for fundraising, grant applications, and more. In 2018, with [Hickory Playground] funds, we were able to pay for the rights and royalties to present “Cinderella.” Without this generous donation, we would have definitely been short in other aspects of the production. In 2019, was used to purchase set pieces and the rights and royalties for our production of “Shrek: the Musical.” This organization is a blessing to our program… it is great to know that someone outside of the four walls of our school cares about our students and their theatrical experiences. The Arts touches students’ lives in ways that are impossible to count. Many thanks to Hickory Playground for their support for the Arts and I hope that they can continue to help many schools in our area.