Grantee Spotlight: Opening New Learning Opportunities for Theatre Students at Manor New Tech High School
We recently sat down with Ms. Elizabeth Cox (“Ms. V.”), the Theatre Director at Manor New Tech High School, to hear firsthand how the Manor Schoolhouse Foundation's innovation grants are making a difference. By providing access to advanced learning tools, these grants have sparked a surge of interest in the advanced technical design course—opening up new opportunities for students to learn skills and explore potential careers in theatre and technical design.
Ms. V., a lifelong theatre enthusiast and graduate of the University of California Irvine with a degree in Theatre, is in her second year teaching high school theatre in Manor ISD. Before joining our district, she taught elementary and middle school students at a Montessori school in California. Eager to give her students every advantage, Ms. V. applied for and was awarded three innovation grants from the Manor Schoolhouse Foundation this past school year. Here’s what she had to say!
Can you tell us about the Manor New Tech High School theatre program in a nutshell?
Our Theatre program welcomes all high school students in grades 9-12, offering two distinct paths: technical theatre and acting. Newcomers can start with Tech I or Theatre I, while students who audition or have prior experience can advance to the Tech and Theatre Production classes. These advanced classes involve hands-on experience with school productions, including our annual musical and University Interscholastic League (UIL) events.
How did the Manor Schoolhouse Foundation's support help the theatre program?
Thanks to three generous grants last year, I was able to enhance our Tech I class with a variety of new learning tools (pun intended). We invested in power tools, sewing machines, and lighting equipment to give students hands-on experience with different facets of design. As a result, students constructed a set of stairs, mastered basic sewing techniques, and built miniature stages complete with lighting rigs.
What has the student response been like?
In my first year teaching this program, I started with just two students in the Tech Production class, neither of whom’s experience extended past the Tech I class I was also teaching. After the Tech I’s unit on set building and lighting, interest surged: about ten students signed up for Tech II, and five more joined through recommendations from friends who had enjoyed the hands-on projects. Additionally, the program proved to be an excellent recruitment tool for incoming freshmen who had been involved in theatre at the middle school level, resulting in a final total of 26 students enrolled in my Tech II based purely on interest in technical design.
What do the innovation grants mean to you?
The Manor Schoolhouse grants are essential because they help bridge the gap between our students and the opportunities available at other schools and districts with more resources. These grants provide crucial tools and equipment that enrich our programs and offer hands-on learning experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. By supporting the Manor Schoolhouse Foundation, you’re not just funding supplies—you’re empowering students to explore their passions, develop new skills, and compete on an equal footing with their peers in more resource-rich environments.
We are so grateful for educators like Ms. V. who work to bring every opportunity to our students! This year, the theatre department will have four productions: a fall play, a winter musical, the UIL one-act play, and the spring production. They are very excited to announce that at least one performance of each will have an ASL interpreter present. They are always looking for support for Thespian Society members interested in participating in ThesFest and TxEta. Learn more and follow their exciting work on Instagram.
Your donation to the Manor Schoolhouse Foundation supports educators like Ms. V. in delivering high-quality opportunities to Manor ISD students. Make a gift to support future innovation grants today. When you make a donation, you can give in honor of Ms. V or another educator, and they will be notified of your kind support.
