Sam Sarvas

Sam Sarvas photo: acgercak

Sam Sarvas is a Mighty Goliath Productions alum with an ambitious goal. She will graduate high school this year with a college degree. For most of us this seems impossible, but Sam took a bite out of the impossible and will do just that. Lorain County Community College has a program that lets high school students attend college and also attend high school. This is different that the typical post-secondary education that has been around for many years. This is a full-time program called Lorain County Early College High School.

The program is open to students in Lorain County who is a first generation college student, but it also accepts a short list of open enrollment students. That open enrollment is how Sam was able to take advantage of this groundbreaking program. Because she is at Lorain County Community College she can participate in the choral program there and also take voice lessons.

Sam is also the recipient of the MGP scholarship last year. $350 doesn't seem like a lot in the large scheme of things, but Sam was really able to maximize the benefits of the scholarship. She used her scholarship to buy an iPad, which seems silly, but in the age of electronics, hauling around an iPad for class not only cuts down on the items she will need for classes, but allows her to be a more mobile student. Most classes have homework assigned online Sam used her laptop to stay connected at all times, but that large piece of hardware was hard to carry around. By using the iPad she can also download coursework, books, and even research papers while keeping the load she has to bear to a minimum. Next year when she attends Cleveland State University to finish her 4 year degree, she will have a leg up on all the other freshmen entering college, because we will enter with an Associates Degree. Sam has chosen Cleveland State so she can be close to home and participate in MGP for years to come.

Sam has been able to take what some consider a small scholarship and use it for big things. Good luck next year Sam.

If you would like to apply for the Mighty Goliath Productions scholarship, click here. Deadline for Submissions is May 1, 2015.

Free Money

Seussical the Musical Production Staff (2015)

In 1959, I am not sure our founding founders thought about making Avon Lake one of the best communities nationwide to get a superior music education. Fast forward 56 years and here we are. Still raising money for the Avon Lake Schools.

As a whole, music education holds a place near and dear to our hearts. Many of our actors and actresses, stage crew, set designers, orchestra members, and audience members had some form of formal training at some point growing up. Whether it was band once a day, marching band, or drama club. We all loved our time in our school organizations.

Avon Lake is now one of 5 local communities honored with the distinction from North American Music Merchants as being one of 388 communities nationwide as being one of the best communities for music education. There are members of our board that went through the Avon Lake School system and would agree wholeheartedly that this is the case. There are those that participate in MGP that have never seen a school do so much for music education. Avon Lake residents should be proud to have such a great program in their city.

Music education isn't about playing an instrument. Music is a gateway to learning. Studies show that increases music education leads to better math grades, science grades, and opens students up to better critical thinking.

Mighty Goliath Productions wants to continue to support anyone who wants to further their music education into college. As per tradition MGP will award one small scholarship of $350.00 to a student this Spring. The requirements are simple; you must be enrolled (or enrolled for the Fall) in a two or four year college and have at least 3 years of musical theater experience. If you are interested in Applying all you have to do is click here. Once you've filled out the application, email it to our Board President, Doug Bailey ( douglasfbaileyii [at] gmail [dot] com ). Deadline for applications is May 1, 2015.