Macon Magazine

October/November 2025 | maconmagazine.com 85 shows. In fact, the students are required to attend a number of cultural events with their families throughout the year. "We want our children not only to perform in the community, but to be a part of it," Graham says. "It shows them their talents matter beyond the classroom." For students, the programs are transformative. Fourth-grader Kalea Archer is in the midst of rolling and cutting clay when she explains, "I like that we get to do so many different kinds of stuff." Her classmate Liliana Serrano, sharing a big worktable with Archer in the airy art room, chimed in, "I've always wanted to be in violin since I was little. That's what I like about this school. I want to keep going after elementary school." These experiences are meant to set the stage for lifelong engagement with the arts. PUTTING THE INNER SELF ON DISPLAY Even Vice Principal Timothy Dees, in only his second year at Vineville, sees how the arts help children grow. "The arts stretch our children," he says. "They get to work in tap dance, music, and theatre. It broadens them as people. It allows them to be themselves, and they put their inner self on display every day." For Vineville students, a pathway forms with the secondary schools less than a mile up the road. They often continue into Miller Fine Arts Magnet Middle School, where they deepen their craft. An audition is required to stay in the fine arts program in middle school and at Central High School. Miller Principal Shan Gibson explains, "By the time they come to us, they know which arts they want to specialize in. They have the foundational skills and are ready to take it further. That preparation carries into high school, and they continue to grow." Sims sees the pipeline as a model for achievement. "The arts have value across all subjects," he says. "I want Vineville to be a beacon of achievement, where students excel not just in the arts but in everything they do." As Vineville approaches four decades as a fine arts magnet, leaders and teachers are already dreaming bigger. Graham imagines having an outdoor amphitheater one day for performances, while Sims envisions the school being recognized statewide for academic excellence. Teachers like Crisp, Siebenmorgan, Baser, and Gay hope to continue shaping memories and skills that last long after elementary school. For the students, parents, and teachers, Vineville Academy is more than a school—it's a community hub, a creative incubator, and a place where young talents are nurtured, celebrated, and shared with the wider city. Graham sums it up: "Our students don't just learn facts. They learn who they are, and that makes all the difference." "Children have this enormous experience thinking, wow, I'm learning in so many different ways and discovering talents I didn't even know I had." ABOVE Vineville students practice their choral skills ahead of a scheduled community appearance at a Mercer football game.

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