The Indian Hill School District celebrated the official opening of the newly renovated Sue Harder Memorial Performing Arts Center with a ribbon cutting on Saturday, December 9. The space that now serves at the entry to the Indian Hill High School auditorium was packed with members of the community, invited to share in the celebration.
“Tonight we open the doors to unparalleled experiences in the arts to our students, our families, and our community,” Indian Hill School District CEO/Superintendent Kirk Koennecke said during the presentation. “We do so with the elite selection by Disney – as the only high school in the state of Ohio to present Frozen – and we do so in memory of a member of our Brave Family who worked tirelessly as a champion of the arts – Sue Harder.
“The wisdom of Mrs. Harder is with us tonight through her words, ‘Everyone needs to be needed.’ Everyone does need to be needed. And, here in our district – our Home – we need for each of our students to know they are needed, through song, through dance, through stage management, through instrumental music, through costume design, through set creation and visual arts, through communication of our story that is so uniquely Indian Hill. You have helped to create a space where that can happen, for them. You have risen to the challenge of providing the best to our children. And, as always, in service to our children, I want to say thank you.”
In April, the Indian Hill Foundation accepted the first-of-its-kind generous
gift to benefit the students of the Indian Hill School District, granting naming rights to the Sue Harder Memorial Performing Arts Center. Sue Harder was a longtime, dedicated volunteer to the district. She gave her time to the Booster Board and supported the theater and musical arts programs while her two children were attending Indian Hill Schools from 1998 up until 2015. She was also involved with the Boy Scouts, After Prom, and varsity sports teams. Sadly and tragically, Sue passed away from a sudden illness on January 11, 2021. Indian Hill Foundation President Lisa Consolino presented the Harder family with a special framed photo of the new Sue Harder Memorial Performing Arts Center.
“We want to offer a sincere message of thanks to the Harder family for this generous gift that will impact our students for generations to come,” said Consolino. “Sue’s spirit of giving back will continue to live and have a positive impact on our entire school community.”
Photo caption: The Indian Hill School District celebrated the official opening of the newly renovated Sue Harder Memorial Performing Arts Center with a ribbon cutting on Saturday, December 9.