SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities honored with the Education Spirit Award
The Capital Corporation presents the Education Spirit Award.
Many who live and work in Greenville see the impact of the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities on the Upstate in local news and even in our daily lives. What you might not know, however, is that this iconic institution’s influence on the lives of young people extends all across the state.
“The first part of our mission is to prepare talented high school students in pre-professional programs in the arts and humanities,” says Dr. Cedric Adderley, president. “The second half is to be of service to all teachers and students throughout the state of South Carolina—all 46 counties, all 79 school districts, so that every student, whether they’re homeschooled or attend private school, have the opportunity to participate in our programs.”
Two years ago, the school marked a milestone of graduating a student from every single county in the state, a goal Adderley set for himself not long after arriving in 2015 with a motto of ‘Greater Service, Greater Progress’ and an eye on expanding outreach. Under Adderley’s inspired leadership, that outreach now looks like arts excursions into districts with thin or underserved arts programs, field trips onto campus, guest artists teaching in classrooms, professional development for teachers, and partnerships with YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs, and public libraries.
“For many students across the state, an outreach program is the only Governor’s School experience they’ll have,” Adderley says, “and I’ve been really pleased over the years to note that all of those experiences are indeed transformational.”
Spirit for education
On campus, Adderley has overseen roughly $20 million in recent capital work, producing a state-of-the-art music building, renovated dance floors, and improved residence and dining halls—a significant investment that has looked beyond the small footprint to build upward and inward, creating an environment where interdisciplinary work can thrive.
A recent example: For a production of Hadestown Teen Edition, students from all departments of study came together to sing, dance, and share talents. “[Hadestown] included all of our students, regardless of art area,” says Adderley. “They auditioned for the cast, they built the set, they designed the programs, they played in the ensemble. It was a huge collaborative experience and a huge success.” The school now commits to a full six-discipline collaboration every other year, with smaller pairings in between, such as music students scoring a classmate’s film. “That’s the direction of arts education, and the direction that the arts are going.”
On this award, Adderley is effusive. “I’m humbled that the community recognizes the work of the Governor’s School and our value to public education, to the greater Greenville community and to the state of South Carolina. Public education is hard, which is why I’m proud to represent a group of really committed educators who deliver a first-class program for these very deserving students. I want more people to know about the work that we do to prepare students to pursue the next thing in their lives, and how much more successful they are because of their experience here.”
