CAIRO — Cairo High School’s new dance program is set to be overhauled after the Georgia Department of Education awarded it a $10,000 stART grant.

Assistant principal Tammy Donalson said funds from the grant will be used to enhance the dance program in ways that can’t be achieved with a regular school budget. Those enhancements include the purchase of new dance apparel and equipment such as shoes, professional development courses for the school’s dance instructor and allowing students to witness professional dance performances at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.

CHS’ dance program began last year on a half-day basis, but Donalson said student interest in the program encouraged administrators to expand the program full-time this year.

While school officials want to continue increasing enrollment in the program, Donalson said they also want to be able to provide essentials, such as proper dance attire, without placing that expense on students.

The school will have to submit a formal budget to the state prior to receiving the grant money, Donalson said. Once the funds are received, CHS will have until the end of September 2020 to spend it all.

A total of $270,000 was awarded to 19 rural school districts as part of DOE’s effort to expand fine arts opportunities available to students. The grants are part of the department’s Partnership for Rural Growth initiative, which seeks to expand the resources available to public school districts in rural areas of the state.

“We know that the fine arts provide significant academic and non-academic benefits for all students,” said State School Superintendent Richard Woods. “Arts education helps children develop language and fine-motor skills. It keeps them engaged in their education. It equips them with the creativity, ingenuity and resilience needed to succeed in the modern workforce.”