Community members, including scores of pastors in the Pine Hills and surrounding areas, participated in a prayer and community walk of the multi-million dollar new Evans High School on Friday. The new state-of-the art campus on Silver Star Road will house some 2,200 students when it opens its doors on January 3, but students and parents are expected to receive an orientation later today.
When students return next Tuesday, there are three focuses said Evans High principal, Dr. David Christiansen — Trojan Pride, academic achievement and behavior.
And there is much to be proud of at the new Evans High School. There’s a new performing arts center that seats 900, a new gymnasium, academic hallways with lockers for each student, flex space that allows for classrooms around smaller learning communities, smart boards and desk tops in each classroom, a science center where hands-on learning will take place, a media room with a brand new TV studio, among other amenities.
But, Christiansen says, you can have this beautiful facility, but it is the “learning that is taking place and the level of achievement that is occurring,” that’s going to be critical. How students handle themselves and how they take care of the campus, is also important, he added.
Throughout the walk, several pastors offered prayers at the various facilities on the campus and talked about what the new Evans High School would mean for students and the community.
“I think the new Evans High School will revitalize the area and bring new energy into the community,” said Bishop David Beacham,Jr., of New Church of Faith, Inc. “And I definitely think that this multi-million dollar facility will encourage students to do better, thereby lifting the whole area.”
For many years, students at Evans High School have been at a major disadvantage without the needed resources to support academic excellence, but as well, in the performing arts. With the new performing arts center, students would be able to engage with, not only the band, but in addition to chorus and drama, there would be offerings in orchestra, guitar and piano, given that the requisite resources are now in place.
Rev. Michael Kimbrough echoes what many others have said, that the new school will be the cornerstone of Pine Hills. He doesn’t see the new performing arts center as competing with the newly opened Pine Hills Community Performing Arts Center on Kirkman Road, of which he is the Executive Director.
“Evans High School is the cornerstone for Pine Hills and it will once again make Pine Hills attractive,” he said. “With all the other things going on, the area will once more become affluent, prosperous and a community that produces scholars.” I expect there to be some great performances in the arts taking place here and in the Performing Arts Center on Kirkman, he added.
Evans High School students also suffered from inadequate facilities in the area of sports. Although the Trojans Basketball team ranks number 2 in the District, they have used middle school gyms for the past 2 1/2 years and many times didn’t have a place to practice. All that has changed with a new gym that seats 2,300 and a shiny new floor that has earned the moniker, “The Snake Pit” to be dedicated on January 6.
In the past students didn’t even have lockers and would drag their books and other learning materials around in backpacks, Christiansen said. Now, there are 2,700 lockers – one for each student — and a few to spare.
Then, there is Flex Space that allows for tutoring of smaller communities of students, on classroom floors. These facilities open up options for teachers and students which they never had before. Whereas, in the past, there were four computer labs for the 2,200 students, the new school now boasts 1,250 computers, with many books and lap tops, to support learning and development.
In each classroom there are 5 desk top computers, Smart-boards, Doc. cameras and LCD projectors to support teaching and learning. And every teacher has an audio enhancement system which allows the delivery of instruction over, at times, “loud teens,” Christiansen adds.
“I see the new Evans High School as a focal point, as a flag ship,” said Pastor Frank Thompson, Head of the Community Leadership Council. “But continuous community support is critical. This is just a regeneration of what we believe is already here, but will now come out.”
Standing in the new school’s media center that is expected to be the hub for the STEM Academy and which is stocked with lots of computers, a brand new TV studio, among other resources, Thompson challenged all pastors and the rest of the community to stay engaged.
“After we go our separate ways, after the prayers are over, we can’t leave the school,” he said. “We have got to be still engaged, we have got to find out what’s going on and get involved and show up at the meetings.”
Sen. Gary Siplin (D- District 19), believes the new Evans High School sets the stage for Pine Hills community to get on par with areas like Dr. Phillips, Lake Nona and Winter Park.
“I know that the Evans High School means a new rebirth for the Pine Hills community,” he said. “In every society there is a major anchor. Businesses and adults want to go to an area where there are the best educational facilities and with this new multi-million dollar edifice, it will be the new economic stimulus for the area.” I am excited about the future of Pine Hills, he adds.
But it’s back to that pride thing, which many believe was lacking among students and community residents. So, perhaps Orange County School Board member, Nancy Robbinson (District 6), summed it up best:
“I think it’s going to be a fabulous place for the students to really grow,” she said. “And I think with the new community support and facilities, the pride of students is going to skyrocket and we are going to see big thing happen. It’s a good day at Evans.”
