The Brook Hill School held its grand opening of the Soules Center for the Arts Sunday, Jan. 12, more than two years after breaking ground on the facility.
The Boldly Brook Hill Capital Campaign to improve and build out the campus raised $29 million. Almost $19 million of those funds were devoted to the Soules Center for the Arts, a 35,000 square foot center boasting a 670-seat auditorium and chapel and four specialized classroom spaces.
“We are humbled by the generosity of our community,” said Braxton Brady, Head of School. “The Soules Center is unlike any space in the region and creates new opportunities for our students to discover, grow and showcase their God-given gifts and talents.”
Brady said he is most excited about how the new center will shape the spiritual life of the school.
“In our society, people are worshiping a lot of different things, but the space we have in the Soules Center gives us the opportunity to point our students back to God, to reflect on who He is and what He has done for us, and in turn to worship Him together,” Brady said.
Brook Hill student Paige Kummerfeld also commented.
“I am so grateful to be able to worship at Brook Hill,” she said. “I can’t wait to see how God uses this space in our lives. My hope is that everyone who has the opportunity to perform on this stage is that they get to use their gifts that God has given them to expand His Kingdom and show His Glory.”
The auditorium and stage are complete with wings, proper lighting and sound equipment to showcase students’ talents and bring the school and broader East Texas community together for performances, assemblies and guest speakers. The auditorium also serves as a sacred space for fellowship and worship through the school’s weekly chapel services.
The specialized classrooms are designed for vocal, instrumental, dramatic and visual arts instruction, including music and choir rooms with near perfect acoustics; a visual arts classroom with the space with pottery wheels, a kiln and an area for students to create; along with a theatre classroom that includes a black box theater for rehearsals and smaller performances.