Eight years ago, WINGS Performing Arts was developed as a program of the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, the only children’s museum in Mississippi, and Tonya Hays was chosen to direct the program. WINGS offers Gulf Coast students in elementary through high school the opportunity to participate in theater productions that are presented at community sites and area schools. Students work closely with adult staff and volunteers who encourage them to develop teamwork skills and confidence while guiding them through increasingly challenging roles and assignments. “The WINGS program strives to nurture talent and spirit by mentoring young people”, says Tonya Hays, Director of WINGS Performing Arts, “through learning experiences in the arts that enrich their lives and develop generous and loving hearts”.

Through involvement with MS Theatre Association and Southeastern Theatre Conference, the group has earned state and regional recognition. Tonya Hays was selected as the 2008 Sara
Spencer Child Drama Award recipient at Southeastern Theatre Conference, the largest regional theatre organization in the US, in recognition of the outstanding role she plays in supporting and mentoring youth in the arts and theatre.

Then in January, Tonya Hays and Ricky Johnson, a member of the WINGS Shooting Starts performing ensemble, traveled to Washington to receive the prestigious 2007 Coming Up Taller Award presented by First Lady Laura Bush. WINGS was nationally recognized as one of 18 outstanding after school hours youth arts and humanities programs. More than 350 nominations were received by the program in 2007. Coming Up Taller is an initiative of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH). The President’s Committee partners with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to administer the
program, which was founded in 1998. The Coming Up Taller Awards recognize and support outstanding community arts and humanities programs that celebrate the creativity of young
people, and provide them with new learning opportunities and a chance to contribute to their communities. The awards also highlight the contributions that historians, scholars, librarians
and visual and performing arts make to families and communities by mentoring children. “Arts and humanities activities have a wonderful way of enabling young people to discover
their unique talents and interests while forging a path to success in school and life,” said Adair Margo, Chairman of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. “The WINGS program lifts students’ spirits and expectations through experiences that enable them to realize that they are all capable of great achievements.” Internationally, WINGS has been nominated to apply to represent Mississippi in the America High School Theatre Festival at the Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The program also utilizes the performing arts experience to promote academic skills and learning in the humanities through assignments linked to the productions. Cast members of Macbeth researched Renaissance history and customs. The crew of Servant of Two Masters designed period costumes and selected music for the production. And participants in Fiddler on the Roof discussed Jewish life and culture with the congregation and rabbi from a local synagogue.

Opportunities to be involved in national and world campaigns are also part of the WINGS experience. Trojan Women cast members spearheaded a promotion to support Dollars for Darfur, a worldwide effort that provides aid to the victims in Darfur, Sudan, by asking for donations to the cause in lieu of admission to the production. Since the Salvation Army has a lead role in Guys and Dolls, Jr., cast members volunteered to “ring the bell” at various
Salvation Army “red kettle” locations. Strings with WINGS is a project that involves several WINGS students traveling to Saltillo, Mexico to start a violin program with young children at the mission.

In addition to participating in productions, students can apply to become part of four performing ensembles composed of 80 third graders through high school students. Members
of Shooting Stars, Nova, Constellations and Comets meet in monthly workshops to explore theater topics, take part in community service projects while agreeing to maintain their grades.

Each year, WINGS has a spring and a summer production with open auditions along with fall touring shows with cast and crew members from the WINGS performing ensembles. During
the year, there are also numerous events in collaboration with Gulf Coast Symphony Youth Orchestra, drama and art departments at area high schools and other youth arts organizations from across the Coast. Dreams, a multi media production presented annually at the Beau Rivage Resort Theatre, showcases the remarkable talent of young people in the arts. This summer Once Upon a Mattress will be presented July 16-20 at MGCCC/Jeff Davis/Fine Arts Auditorium. A rollicking spin on the familiar classic fairy tales, Once Upon
a Mattress offers a wave of wonderful songs and provides for some side-splitting shenanigans. Auditions are Saturday and Sunday, May 3 & 4.

High school seniors involved in the program are accepted in prestigious colleges receiving generous scholarship offers and 100 percent of the participants who graduated from high
school have gone on to college. This year Jordan Lord from St. Patrick’s High School in Gulfport, was selected as the 1st Place Winner of the Voice of Democracy Audio Essay Contest sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign War and its’ Ladies Auxiliary. The award included a scholarship which Lord will use to attend Columbia University in the fall. Lord is the first National Winner from the state of Mississippi in the 62 year history of the program. Jordan Jenner, Ocean Springs High School, has been accepted at the nationally renowned School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A choral scholarship was awarded to Hilary Herr, a Long Beach High School senior, by MS State. Jason Gillis of Long Beach High School will
attend Kean University in New Jersey, where three other alumni of WINGS are enrolled. Katie Tully from Long Beach High School will attend MS State to major in Art & Theatre and Ravin Floyd, Gulfport High School senior, is off to SM Hattiesburg. Over $200,000 in scholarships have been offered to the WINGS seniors this year.

Construction is underway on the WINGS Performing Arts and Education Center at the Discovery Center, the first of its kind in Mississippi. This phase of construction, due for completion this year, includes a two story building that connects to the museum and the
adjoining gym. The new building will house a ticket office, lobby, restrooms, concession, full service Viking kitchen and offices on the first floor with classrooms for technical theatre on the second floor. Tax deductible contributions can be made towards the capitol campaign
that finishes with the renovation of the gymnasium into a state of the art theatre.

For more information about
WINGS Performing Arts Program or
the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center,
call 228-897-6039
or visit the website, www.lmdc.org.