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J.R. Porter '05 Design Studio & Gallery Dedication 10/25/20

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On Sunday, The Family and Friends of John Robert Porter '05 gathered with Hill Top Prep Trustees, Administrators, Faculty and Staff to celebrate the School's newest facility dedicated to the development of social skills through the arts and entrepreneurship honoring the memory of the Hill Top graduate who found his voice through his photography. An exhibit of J.R.'s work was displayed with works for sale to benefit the J.R. Porter Fund at Hill Top. Thank you to the donors and volunteers who made all of this possible.

Show Transcript

nice to have everyone here when you realize that we not only have this unique in fireman in which we are all standing Macon stay away from each other at the same time I see people sticking out their hands to welcome I heard somebody say oh I wish I could hug you, you want to do that when you haven't seen people in it makes it really unique it also makes it unique and really rewarding to see this many people here at a time we were trying to be socially distance than we have any kind of inclement weather so we'll get it really is a testament to how wonderful this school is in the story associated with this afternoon's event there's an old saying about it takes a village and this structure behind me in front of you it took a real Village gather it was certainly the vision of Jr's mom and dad to have a lasting memory for their son but it took an awful lot of donors many of whom are right here in under this template many of others who couldn't make it but are all part of the picture there are folks here today that were responsible for things like going to the town planning offices and disgusting with Grace 40 to 2 to get the architectural plans through finding the right architect who would do the project and do it at a point where we could a price point we could afford all of that way all of that Vision came together to make this an hour this is an exciting time for all of us and I'm going to ask if marrying kasab would talk and then we call Sophia Jr's mom and dad about their Vision but this has had such an impact on on one of our guest this afternoon that I'm proud to announce that we have received an additional Anonymous $10,000 gift so no matter how many of these You by here today that's why we're all done by AJR and that those funds will go towards this it's all this money that will be used for master classes for guest artists to come as well further exhibitions so I'm we're off to a very good start Marion casad has had a huge influence on an awful lot of students over the and also their family so you're going to hear both of those impacts talk about now from self my pleasure to have Marion trying to figure out what I wanted to say today and then I saw on the program that I was supposed to talk about that's not where my words come from today so who sings I just want to share with you it doesn't matter who you are there's this incredible feeling you get when you share your passion with someone and they embrace it take a strong hold of it and make something of their own with it for a teacher these are some of the most memorable and rewarding experiences and there's a feeling that goes even deeper that feeling happens if you start to develop trust and respect over time with your students like building a nest starts with a twig this would be our story to Jr with a quiet time someone offered cautious student when I first met him he loves taking pictures especially of Nature and critters and birds enjoyed learning about manual photography and working in the darkroom as his skills and interest developed so did his confidence as JR enjoyed classic petite and sharing his work with others photography became his face to a creative Outlet that helps him engage more comfortably with and his larger world the J R Porter gallery and design studio for acne name the next by Avi design students back in two how do you say my deal provide a safe space where students can stretch their wings and develop confidence and take flight for students to Showcase their work and to learn a long time since I stole artist and Innovative space that empowers for thinking and encourages creativity and collaboration I'm so happy really happy to have been a part of this project to help repel the seed of an idea that started in a conversation with J That Grew into this amazing space and really I have to mention work and dedication over the years the vision and mission of the nest so I didn't even mention really what the next Springs to Hilltop now today because I'm teaching in this face and it's a desired state is bright it's Arie is cheerful and it's a much-needed space for the school so it's thank you for being here excited for you to get in there and see it and cjr's work and I'd like to introduce Jane and Rob Porter one thing you don't feel find over the next five minutes just that we just discovered we clearly did not coordinator very very similar. Probably start to mature finally here in the rain call the dam has Tom indicated was a little longer than expected and some bumps and hurdles mentioned bureaucratic construction which I never expected and last but not least glad we finally get to welcome you here order a design studio and gallery and as if you have other Genesis was in can I freeze for devastated but as healing commenced and started to try to think about ways we can only celebrate Sean's light how to place it was meaningful to John at the top of the list of places of the meaningful to hear that in Church Hill a child started here we realize this was the first place outside of home where you really felt comfortable and accepted and that parts of the school in Wichita much much for math but some of the book for anything that's where you really found himself and as she mentioned that the toddler's game do not say enough about their role in teaching in some of the real principles and why you and I know a lot of teachers and the teachers have a girl anyway is that some of what they they teach to the will stick with him after they graduate and leave the school a lot of us we might be hard-pressed to we used to know how to do that but set Math teachers maybe they don't feel as good as Marian does because of the way the students carry things are in John carried on with the photography has he left it to his dying day tens and tens of thousands of his shots over the years so I've been high school sweethearts talk to Tom and Miriam Makeba here it became clear that the sensible sing with me some swear words facilities ahead alarms open workspace as a gallery of time and show that to begin planning for what we see here do you know another strange design studio and gallery now that's about the point in time where I am participation took a back seat dedication I really saw that this happen wasn't just a great idea that fell by the wayside to turn it over to her to talk a little bit more about the project yourself and all the wonderful people looting we are here for sale sunshine you make me happy so I'm going to build on Mary & Robbs a presentation and let me tell you how project got started so does art teacher Marion how we were going to you the general Porter photography and social skills fun to make a lasting Legacy and she talked with me about creating a gallery Carriage House attached to the Arts Center which it would be the perfect spot this early 20th century build a house for strong carriages it's about the idea they excitedly design the space on the and they called it the a place where their ideas could develop in Florida and the concept of the studio was added to the gallery and we also wanted to bring in community artists have master classes have an artist-in-residence that would share their skills or knowledge and how to play so cast the students immediately started to think about for this project they designed and produced shirts Tom said this is what happens when location of this brick structure has family companies in Foundation join together to prevent Trinity Community artist on the back of your program c a long list of names Port okay and the board of directors led by sissy where to embrace with project as their own several of the board members are there spy are materialistic Todd Haley designer donated the HGH 5 Sabor de vegetais we are thankful for the foundation companies that gave us generous support education text Solutions Facebook Mark SEI investment management Social Services Fidelity charitable hbe foundation and Joseph Robert Foundation process with significant contribution can you sign for teachers for students on the development staff Christina Cartier Michelle micozzi to spend time organizing fundraising events and thank you Michelle for today Ray taken today Rob and I are very appreciative of family and friends who participated annually to help realize the dream thank you to Bonnie chainsaw option Jerry Carlyle Jack and Jill by Richard Lee Jennifer Lindstrom Michael endorsements Tom and Wendy Timmonsville SC weather as worrying right today John's dream of having his photographs in a gallery is realized John loves nature and all of them when I go into the gallery I feel an incredible positive and I feel excitement enjoyed emanating from the beans and the brick wall I feel the love and pride from the students and teachers who have already introduced themselves to the space this project has been healing for a family it brings joy to know that people from all mazes creative Center I ask each of you today to dig deep and find your own dream and bring a group of people long to realize it thanks to Hilltop for this opportunity genre thanks Jane and Rob for we're going to close this part of the reception in that sense that you get you we enter this door and we exit that door we're going to try to distance ourselves and paste as the visitors go through when your program there on the left hand side on the inside are the list of the names of each one of the pieces that are available heading closing I'll offer you one more story there amongst us are certainly school there are current faculty here there are former faculty who taught Jr there are also friends of Jr that went to the hilltop at the same time but I heard one story that I didn't know before until just this afternoon when Jr was a student here much like we do today service ambassadors and a shadow if you are looking at the sky so just so you have some sense of how this school just keeps on giving and the connection that you was alumni have whether you're here today or you're not even with us anymore if you keep staying it's cool because Dan told me that his very first visit to the ER knocking out graduated from Hilltop he's not on the payroll this is a man who is now coaching re Sports programs and he's doing teaching of students he's been here for last year and this summer and he's going to be with us this year we now have three Esports teams we've also started to collaborate with several other school and there is sports teams are getting Consulting from Jr started something that he had no idea was going to happen and so many years later it just keeps passing on this is a place where you start something you plan to see you Bill the nest and things just emerge so deep part of the nest please come on through enjoy the work that's here and will continue to invite you back for many more shows to come so thank you all very much turn on the table

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J.R. Porter '05 Design Studio & Gallery Dedication 10/25/20

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