Tammie Newman,
Director of Communications\/Public Relations tnewman@archive.schsl.org \/ 803.896.0417<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/strong> The\nSouth Carolina High School League is proud to announce the Beaufort High School\ntheatre students and instructor, LaRaine Fess, have been named the 2019\nNational Federation of High Schools HEART OF THE ARTS award winner. This is the\nvery first submission by the SCHSL for the NFHS HOA award and the fifth year\nthe award has been given. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe\nperformance shared by these young professionals is not only informative, but\nhigh energy and captive. I was moved as I watched them and truly proud to call\nthem South Carolina students. Our guests from around the southeast were left\nspeechless and inspired. Just another example of the many talents we encompass\nin our schools, including multi-talented student-athletes that take part in\norganizations such as this. Congratulations to a well deserving group of\nstudents and educator,\u201d stated Commissioner Jerome Singleton. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This\naward recognizes individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive heart of\nthe arts that represent the core mission of education-based activities.\nAlthough the SCHSL is an athletics only entity, the NFHS encourages each state\nto submit nominees they feel share the common belief that athletics and\nacademics are solid partners in education; to include arts education. Beaufort\nHigh School\u2019s winning ensemble of actors includes approximately 10\nstudent-athletes who juggle acting with sports. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Stunned\nby the news, Mrs. Fess stated, \u201cI would like to thank everyone for this award.\nMy students and I are deeply humbled by this announcement. It is our goal to have\neveryone take ownership of their actions and know things can indeed change for\nthe better. Good will win every time!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nHeart of the Arts award will be presented to Mrs. Fess at the Annual NFHS\nNational Conference and 100th Anniversary Celebration on July 29, 2019, in\nIndianapolis, Indiana. She and her husband will be special guests for several\ncelebrations and commemorative events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMrs.\nFess and her students are able to reach a variety of demographically diverse\naudiences through unique dramatic skills. As the production unfolds, the\nanti-bullying message is clear, demanding even. See something, say something no\nmatter what. Powerful actors with an empowering message. We are thrilled for\nnational attention to be placed on South Carolina\u2019s excellent schools and\nprograms,\u201d states Tammie Newman, Communications and Public Relations Director. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The\n2019 SCHSL Student Leadership Summit on March 29 will introduce the Beaufort\nHigh School theatre group to hundreds of South Carolina student-athletes when\nthey present their anti-bullying message as well as kickoff a special\ninitiative with SLS participants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For\nadditional information, contact the SCHSL Office tnewman@archive.schsl.org<\/a> or 803.896.0417:<\/p>\n\n\n\n NFHS HOA Award: <\/strong> South Carolina Drama Teacher and Beaufort High\nSchool Theatre Students Selected as National Recipients of NFHS National High School\nHeart of the Arts Award<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/strong> Contact:\nJohn Gillis<\/p>\n\n\n\n INDIANAPOLIS, IN (March 12, 2019) \u2014 LaRaine Fess, <\/strong>drama teacher at Beaufort\n(South Carolina) High School and the Beaufort\nHigh School Theatre Students<\/strong> have been selected the 2019\nnational recipients of the \u201cNational High School Heart of the Arts Award\u201d by\nthe National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The National High School Heart of the\nArts Award was created by the NFHS to recognize those individuals who exemplify\nthe ideals of the positive heart of the arts that represent the core mission of\neducation-based activities. This is the fifth year that the National High\nSchool Heart of the Arts Award has been offered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the past 21 years, Fess has been\nan educator, including the past 14 years as the theatre teacher at Beaufort\n(South Carolina) High School. She has been a seven-time \u201cTeacher of the Year\u201d\nnominee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In her position as a teacher, Fess has\nused that platform to reach out to students in her district and to teach them\nabout bullying. She has written two original plays for her theatre students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2013, Fess\u2019 then-third grade son\nwas bullied on a school bus. Devastated by the event, Fess asked her students the\nfollowing question: \u201cIs bullying is still an issue in school?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Overwhelmingly, her students started\nsharing situations in which they had been a victim, a bystander and even a\nbully. After \u201cRipping off the Band-Aid,\u201d Fess and her theatre classes made a\npromise to one another and to themselves to take a stand against bullying. They\nmade a pact to never be a bully, a victim or a bystander. They promised that\n\u201cWhen they would see something, they would say something.\u201d With that promise in\nplace, seven years later, more than 300 theatre students have been part of the solution\nas they have performed for more than 7,000 students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fess\u2019 goal is to keep performing and\ntalking so students will know what to do when they see bullying and what to do\nwhen they are a victim. Their positions were \u201cIf we stay quiet, then the\nbullies win. We are the only school in the state with an inhouse performance on\nsuch an important topic. Most districts bring in speakers to talk about this\nissue. Beaufort County allows its students to teach their peers about bullying.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2017, they presented some of the\nshow for the National High School League Convention in Hilton Head, South\nCarolina. Dr. Akil E. Ross, Sr., Chapin (South Carolina) High School principal at\nthe time and National Principal of the Year, saw a few scenes and asked if they\ncould come to Chapin and perform for the entire school of approximately 1,300\nstudents. Two years later,\nthey presented to high school athletes and athletic directors at the Leadership\nConvention in Columbia, South Carolina. <\/p>\n\n\n\n During\n2016, 2017 and 2018, Fess and her theatre students were recognized by the\nBeaufort County Council for their work to take a stand against bullying. The\nBeaufort County Council proudly gave them a declaration of \u201cAnti-Bully Month\u201d last\nOctober.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since 2012,\nthe Rotary of Low Country has been a very active partner with Beaufort High\nSchool Theatre to help them take a stand against bullying. It has supported\nthem in presenting programs at conventions in Chapel Hill, North Carolina;\nMyrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Baltimore, Maryland. In addition, they work\ntogether to get out the message to all sixth-graders in the district. In 2017,\nFess received the Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Rotary of Low Country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n About\nthe Award<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In\naddition to the selection of LaRaine Fess and the Beaufort High School Theatre\nDepartment as the national award recipients, the NFHS National High School Heart\nof the Arts Award Selection Committee chose seven individuals and two groups for\nsection awards. Following are the 2019 National High School Heart of the Arts\nsection winners:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Section\n1 \u2013 Nathanael Batson, student, Fairfield (Maine) Lawrence High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n Section\n2 \u2013 Kayla Scott, student, Charlottesville (Virginia) Monticello High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n Section\n3 \u2013 LaRaine Fess, drama teacher at Beaufort (South Carolina) High School and\nthe Beaufort High School Theatre Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n Section\n4 \u2013 Johnathon Giesecke, student, Belvidere (Illinois) North High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n Section\n5 \u2013 Waseca (Minnesota) High School Theatre Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n Section\n6 \u2013 Dayton Thomas, student, Mabank (Texas) High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n Section\n7 \u2013 Tristan McMichael, student, Quincy (California) High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n Section\n8 \u2013 Emma Lawless, student, Canby (Oregon) High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nominations\nfor this award were generated through NFHS member state associations and\nreviewed by the NFHS National High School Heart of the Arts Award Selection\nCommittee composed of state association staff members. While the national\nwinner will be recognized June 29 at the NFHS Summer Meeting in Indianapolis,\nIndiana, the section winners will be recognized within their respective states\nand will receive awards before the end of the current school year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nNational High School Heart of the Arts Award was started in 2014. Including\nthis year, six individuals, one band and one theatre group have been chosen\nnational award recipients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nprevious award recipients follow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2014\n\u2013 Leia Schwartz, student-athlete\/performing arts student, Miami (Florida) Coral\nReef High School<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2015\n\u2013 Ethan Gray, performing arts student, Chicago (Illinois) St. Rita of Cascia\nHigh School<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2016\n\u2013 Midland City (Alabama) Dale County High School Marching Band and Band\nDirector Sherri Miller<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2017\n\u2013 Josephine Ross, student, St. Paul (Minnesota) Benilde-St. Margaret\u2019s High\nSchool<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2018\n\u2013 Cecelia Egan, student, Riverside (Rhode Island) St. Mary Academy-Bay<\/p>\n\n\n\n ###<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n About\nthe National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The NFHS, based in\nIndianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school\nsports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development\nof education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help\nstudents succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by\nbuilding awareness and support, improving the participation experience,\nestablishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those\nwho oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules\nfor 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50\nmember state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more\nthan 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity\nprograms, including more than 7.9 million in high school sports. As the\nrecognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS\nconducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications\nfor high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors\nprofessional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches,\nspeech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; serves as the national source\nfor interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information\nresource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information,\nvisit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tuesday, March 12, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
John C. Gillis <\/strong>
Associate Director of Video Services
JGillis@nfhs.org<\/a> <\/strong>
(317) 822-5723 <\/strong> <\/strong>
Beaufort High School Theatre Group: <\/strong>
Laraine Fess,<\/strong> Director
bhsdramabooks2015@gmail.com<\/a> <\/strong>
(843) 252-7638 <\/p>\n\n\n\n