The Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, also called the Harrison School for the Arts, is a high school in Lakeland, Florida, United States. The school was founded in 1989 and named after community member and art patron Lois Cowles Harrison. It is a magnet school that draws its student population from communities throughout Polk County. Students may specialize in dance, classical guitar, orchestra, piano, choir, jazz, theatre, technical theatre, musical theatre, film, visual arts, or creative writing. Students take general education classes at Lakeland High School, which is adjacent to Harrison. The school received an expansion in 2008, with renovations and the addition of 95,000 square feet to the building.
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History
Harrison School for the Arts opened in 1989, after much debate about whether to open Polk County's first arts school. The school started off with only 154 students, and 5 departments: Chorus, Orchestra, Dance, Musical Theater, and Art. Students in Chorus and Orchestra had to be bused everyday to nearby Florida Southern College to receive their classes. Through years of expansion, the current departments were added, now resulting in 12 total departments. Before the major renovations of 2008, Harrison shared with Lakeland High School the only chorus room and orchestra room available. The only building Harrison could call its own was the current 649-seat theater. After 2008, Harrison was able to expand into two multi-million dollar buildings. The new Harrison Arts Center is now home to a brand new 130-seat movie theater, a blackbox theater, recording studios, three art labs, three dance studios, a Musical Theatre/Vocal room, chorus room, orchestra room, jazz band room and other technologically advanced classrooms. Lakeland's fine arts sector now has their own building as well. Tom McDonald was the founding principal.
Departments and education
Harrison is the house for students to take their Arts classes, while general education classes are taken at Lakeland High School. The school day is divided into 7 periods. Underclassmen take five general education periods in Lakeland High School, while their two arts classes are taken in Harrison. Upperclassmen resort to four general education classes, and three arts classes in Harrison. There are 12 departments in Harrison: Dance, Motion Picture Arts, Choral, Guitar, Piano, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Musical Theater, Theater, Theater Tech, Visual Arts, and Creative Writing. Students take their department class plus one more (two if upperclassmen) other class that will enhance their knowledge in the area. All departments require an audition to be accepted. While students that attend Harrison, are dignified as "Harrison" students, they can also take part of extra-curricular activities offered in Lakeland High School such as: Sports, Clubs, Leadership, FCA, and others.
Dance
One of the original departments, this is dedicated to students' learning in Contemporary Dance and Ballet. Areas such as Jazz Dance, Hip Hop and Modern Dance are also explored. Students also take classes in dance history, functional anatomy, and improvisation. The department hosts two concerts and two senior choreographed concerts.
Motion Picture Arts
Added in the 2008 expansion, MPA is dedicated to enhancing students' knowledge in film writing, film screening, directing, and editing. Screenwriting in three levels, Digital Editing in four levels, and Cinematography are the classes taken by students who are accepted in MPA.
Choral
Choral was one of the original departments, starting off with 21 students. Chorus is dedicated into improving vocal technique, chorus music, music history, theory, and music appreciation. Students can also take an AP Theory course, or a World Choir class which enhances in music from different regions of the world. There are currently three choirs: Women's for girls in grades 9–12, Men's for boys in grades 9–12, Chamber for boys in grades 9-12 and any girl that wants to audition, and Harrison Singers, an all-combined choir.
Notable alumni
Charleene Closshey (Orchestra Department, 1999 Valedictorian), actor, musician, composer, and producer
Quentin Earl Darrington, actor
Chase Johnsey, ballet dancer, artistic director of Ballet de Barcelona
Aaron Marsh (Orchestra Department, Class of 1999), singer/songwriter; lead singer, Copeland
Lauren Miller, actor and screenwriter
Elliott Morgan (Theatre Department, Class of 2005), actor, writer, host, producer and YouTube personality.
Karen Olivo, stage and television actor
Susan Sherouse (Orchestra Department, Class of 2001), violinist