For Bulloch County’s first through fifth grade students, Project Eaglet is more than a simple field trip—it’s an exciting hands-on experience that takes them behind the scenes at Georgia Southern University. Each grade enjoys a different trip, and recently, fourth graders had the opportunity to visit the Performing Arts Center.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro, this unique program brings together the Performing Arts Center (PAC), the Georgia Southern Museum, and the Kiwanis Club to spark curiosity and connect technical concepts like sound and light to students’ everyday lives.
Over the course of three weeks, every fourth grader in Bulloch County visits the PAC as part of this multi-stop adventure. Their journey begins in the 830-seat auditorium, where they sit under the glow of stage lights and listen as staff introduce the magic behind the theater’s operations.
"The students essentially get a full backstage tour," shares Daniel Brown, Director of the PAC. "They walk across the stage and get a close-up view of our overhead lights and fly system. From there, they move through different stations located in our dressing rooms and loading dock, learning the basics of sound and lighting."
The interactive nature of Project Eaglet helps students grasp the relevance of these concepts to their own lives. PAC staff, including Technical Director Harley McCumber, focus on connecting sound and light to real-world experiences.
"Sound and light affect everything we experience," McCumber explains. "By observing those two elements at a granular level, students start to see how the world around us runs on them. We give them the tools to notice and appreciate these elements in new ways."
A highlight for many students is the hands-on exhibit on resonance, where they strike a tuning fork and test different objects to discover which resonate well and which don’t.
"It’s amazing to see the excitement on their faces when they get that ‘aha’ moment," adds Riley Hinson, Lead Technician at the PAC.
Beyond the PAC, students explore other parts of Georgia Southern’s campus, including the Georgia Southern Museum, the Botanic Garden at Georgia Southern, the Center for Wildlife Education, and the Georgia Southern Planetarium. The program offers a new perspective on the university, helping students feel familiar with the campus in a way that most college students don’t experience until much later.
"Funny enough," notes Allyson Lee, Patron Services Manager at the PAC, "many students already recognized the PAC stage from local dance recitals. Some walked in and gasped, saying, ‘I danced here!’ Moments like that really make this experience special."
"The Statesboro and Bulloch County community is so interconnected," says Lee. "It’s nothing like I’ve experienced before, and it continues to grow stronger. Partners like the Kiwanis Club, who are just as passionate about giving back and helping young minds develop, are key to making programs like Project Eaglet thrive."
It's extra special for some members of the Kiwanis Club like Barry Turner, who is a long time member and now getting to see his own grandchildren enjoy the trips as they move through each grade.
The success of Project Eaglet wouldn’t be possible without this strong partnership between Georgia Southern and the Kiwanis Club.
With two more weeks of programming ahead, Project Eaglet is already leaving a lasting impact on hundreds of young minds. Thanks to the dedication of Georgia Southern staff and the support of the Kiwanis Club, students are gaining a deeper appreciation for the role that sound, light, and technology play in the world around them.
Click here to learn more about the Eaglet program and how it all got started.
