So far during my time at Mount Carmel, I have seen the Student Center as a place where my uncle and grandpa used to eat lunch when they were students, as well as a building that just generally looked and felt older than the rest of the school.
Due to the generous donations and support from many donors, especially Mr. Don Barry ’63 and Mr. Marty Hughes ’66 with their wives Mrs. Peggy Barry and Mrs. Julie Hughes, the Student Center has undergone a makeover that will completely change the way MC students approach the performing arts.
On the evening of Thursday, February 27th, the Barry-Hughes Performing Arts Center grand opening event took place. As the emcee for this grand opening, I had the privilege of guiding the audience through the program, and I couldn’t have been prouder to be a part of such an important milestone.
The grand opening was a celebration of the arts. It wasn’t just about the new building but also about how the center will one day play a role in cultivating the next generation of Caravan actors, guitar players, podcasters, photographers, artists, broadcasters, and more.
Many people from MC came together for the collaborative process of designing and creating the center.
President Brendan Conroy, Principal Scott Tabernacki, those from the development offices, teachers in the art department, and many more came together for this process.
Someone that particularly had a lot in mind for how the new space could be used was the director of last year’s spring play.
“It was actually one of the things that attracted me to the job,” said Mr. KC Perlberg, reflecting on the renovations that were only on paper not so long ago. “I enjoyed the possibilities of what the Student Center could have become, and I also enjoyed what we accomplished in there last year. I’m obviously thrilled with where we’re at now.”
Mr. Perlberg also emphasized the collaborative efforts that were made in order to make the new performing arts center a reality.
“It should be remembered that a big thing like this happens because people at all levels of the community were moving in the right direction,” he said. “Students showed interest and so our leadership made it a priority. Then they got faculty involved to give input and donors and alumni supported it.”
As the emcee, I was very understanding of how much support and work it took to actually renovate the Student Center. However, things finally came full circle when I got to meet donors in person on Thursday night.
I wasn’t the only student that felt this way.
“This opening is very important because we have to thank the donors who even made this whole thing possible,” said senior Kaleb McCluer who has been in art classes for all four years during his time at MC. “We want to demonstrate to them that we appreciate the new art wing and that it’s going to be used well.”
The generosity of the donors and alumni has truly transformed our school. When I first came to MC, I usually found myself thinking about how helpful it would be to have a dedicated space for the Caravan Media Group to come up with and follow up on new ideas for broadcasts.
Now that the center is finally open, students will be able to go in there and do just that, or maybe play guitar in the music room, edit a video they made in the documentary film room, and even paint on a canvas in the art room.
This new space has limitless possibilities for guys just like Kaleb and I to come in and have the space and equipment to carry out our artistic interests and passions.
None of this could have been possible without the donors, and I am extremely grateful for their support.
Something else I am grateful for is that even with just two months left in my senior year, I and many other seniors will be able to use this space.
“Opening the center now allows students to experience and utilize the space before the academic year ends,” said Ms. Mary Kate Byrnes, who led the organizing of the grand opening. “It also provides an opportunity to host end-of-year performances, and celebrations. This timing ensures that students, faculty, and alumni can fully appreciate and get a feel for the new facility.”
The upcoming spring play, new podcast episodes, and art classes can now take place and be taken advantage of by students who have a few months before summer break.
“The opening is important because it can show that Mount Carmel is very diverse in what it does,” said Jason Isais, a senior who had a lead role in last year’s performance of A Separate Peace in the Student Center and will perform this spring in A Few Good Men. “It can be open to a lot of younger guys and freshmen.”
Isais and other senior actors will have the chance to put on a show in the brand new theatre in the center. This is the first time in 119 years that the drama department at MC will have a dedicated and consistent spot with professional stage equipment to put on shows.
Moving forward past the grand opening, students will continue to put on shows, record a broadcast, or create a documentary. What’s even more important is that people will continue to support them.
“Having so many alumni return for the opening reinforces the strong bond that exists within the MC community,” said Ms. Byrnes. “It’s a testament to the lasting impact of MC and how deeply connected alumni feel to their alma mater. Their presence adds to the sense of tradition and brotherhood that the current students have bought into so well.”
As I stood before the audience on the night of the grand opening, I couldn’t help but think about the future.
In the next coming weeks, I plan to soak up as much as I can in this incredible new space. However, I and many other seniors will be moving on after graduation this May, and it will be up to the underclassmen to continue the interest and passion the Caravan have shown they have in the arts.
The grand opening is just the beginning. This space will not only allow us to continue our tradition of excellence in the arts, but it will also enable future generations of students to take the arts at our school to new heights.
The possibilities are endless, and I’m excited to see where these new renovations will take us as a community.
“The Barry-Hughes Performing Arts Center is a tangible, visible, physical example of the good things that happen when people from the highest echelons of leadership to rank and file teachers and students, all believe in the mission of a place,” said Mr. Perlberg. “That’s one of the reasons going into a school like this is exciting, worthwhile, and special.”
