Castle Performing Arts Learning Center
Department of Education: J.B. Castle High School

At the Castle Performing Arts Learning Center (CPAC), you will find young people doing what they loveófrom performing to designing sets. The hundreds of students who participate annually are encouraged to discover their creative potential through the art of theater. Serving rural communities on the island of Oahu, CPAC provides young people, grades 5‚12, with intensive, after-school, hands-on fine arts education from trained theater professionals and numerous opportunities to develop their skills and self-confidence.

CPAC is located on the campus of the James B. Castle High School in Windward, Oahu, and offers an array of programs that involve young people, their school, and the larger community. The spring musical and the fall play provide both performance opportunities and state-of-the-art training in technical production. In fact, many program graduates pursue professional theater careers and assume technical positions at venues throughout Oahu.

"KidStart," the annual musical revue, is presented in partnership with The Alliance for Drama Education. Theater professionals visit elementary schools and deliver workshops to every 5th grader. Participating schools then sponsor their own Parents' Night, where the students share their new skills and unearthed talents with their families and the community. Along with theater training, students can take vocal music classes at no cost to their families. In addition, Castle DanceForce Concerts, in collaboration with a local dance studio, provides professional contemporary dance training, with performance opportunities, to both beginning and advanced dance students.

The State of Hawaii administers and sponsors CPAC's programs, which are subject to rigorous review and quantifiable assessment. Evaluations reveal that CPAC students have higher graduation rates, grade point averages, and SAT scores than the general public high school population in Windward, Oahu. Through CPAC's programs, theater professionals share their passion for the performing arts and become the students' mentors. The community, in turn, provides strong support; annual attendance exceeds 15,000 for all CPAC programs. As a result, participants receive the encouragement they need to develop their full potential, whether they are headed for the stage or other meaningful educational or vocational pursuits.