Adam Wolfe came to the school with his daughter, Jessica Wilson, 12, who has read all the Harry Potter novels, enjoys writing poetry and fiction and has been invited to apply to Walnut Hills High School.

        But at Saturday's Open House at the School for Creative and Performing Arts, they were so taken with the school that they planned to fill out an application to audition.

Tahirah Viox, 8, of College Hill looks at a DVD of some dancers during an open house Saturday at the School for Creative and Performing Arts. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        “My daughter excelled in academics and she's a great writer,” said Mr. Wolfe of Price Hill. “We thought it would be great to get involved in a little more than just academics.”

        More than 200 parents and students attended the open house, with most of the students having already filled out applications to audition to get into the prestigious arts school in Pendleton. The open house was designed to introduce them to the school and meet some of the staff and faculty who will conduct the Jan. 12 and Feb. 16 auditions.

        Jessica is in sixth grade at Roberts Paideia in Price Hill. She loves to read. Writing grew out of it.

        “I got bored one day and just started writing,” she explained. “Mostly poetry and fiction.”

        The competition is stiff. Next year, SCPA will take in about 330 students, culled from 1,800 applications, which will bring the student population to 1,035 in grades 4-12. All new students are required to audition.

        Of the 940 students this year, about 100 live outside the Cincinnati school district, said Jeff Brokamp, SCPA principal. They live as far west as Batesville, Ind., as far east as New Richmond, as far south as Walton, Ky., and as far north as Dayton.

SCPA FACTS

• SCPA is 29 years old and has an enrollment of 940 students in grades 4-12.     • About 100 students live outside the Cincinnati school district.     • There are eight artistic majors: dance, art, drama, vocal music, instrumental music, creative writing, technical theater and musical theater.     • There are more than 120 arts course offerings and 109 academic courses.     • Applications for auditions and admission to the school     have increased from 500 to 1,800 in the past five years.     • Money is being raised to build a new public K-12 SCPA next to Music Hall and overlooking Central Parkway in Over-the-Rhine. Cincinnati Public Schools has promised $26 million to the $52 million project if the other $26 million can be raised privately. So far, more than $5 million has been raised.     • If the money is raised, the school could be open by September 2005.

        “These are very sensitive students,” Mr. Brokamp told one parent who had asked about whether there were any problems associated with the age difference among the students.

        “In some high schools, you can feel that macho presence. You don't find that here.”

        Roger Lewis, SCPA assistant high school principal, is in his first year as an SCPA administrator, having spent his career in Northern Kentucky schools as teacher, coach and administrator.

        “This school is far better than I ever imagined,” said Mr. Lewis. “I'll watch students who are real quiet and shy, then watch them get on a stage and just bloom.”

        Gail Viox of College Hill brought her daughter, Tahirah, 8, a third-grader at Schiel Primary School for Arts Enrichment in Corryville. Tahirah plays piano and violin and will audition Saturday at SCPA.

        What SCPA is looking for, Ms. Viox said, are students who have “that spark inside of them that they can see be developed further at the school.”

        Ginel Parham of Westwood brought her daughter, Jasmine Parham, 12, who attends Pleasant Ridge school and will also audition Saturday.

        Unlike many of the parents attending the open house, Ms. Parham is familiar with SCPA. She graduated from the school in 1984 in drama and dance.

        “She has similar talents to mine,” said Ms. Parham of her daughter. “So I'm excited. This school still has the same wonderful feeling to it. It's good to be here.”

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