Lawrence a Winner in NBC Smash Contest

Lawrence High School will see an infusion of $6,000 to get its Sandy-damaged auditorium in top shape after the school was named one of five grand prize winners in NBC Smash’s “Make a Musical” contest, which will be matched by alumnus and fashion designer Steve Madden.

The top schools received the most online votes and will be awarded a $3,000 Lowe’s gift card. Madden said he’d match the award, according to Superintendent Gary Schall.

“I believe winning this contest shows how far the Lawrence spirit has spread outside the community,” Schall told Patch. “It’s a reflection of the school spirit we have here.”

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The funds will be used to replace the lighting equipment that was lost in the flooding caused by Sandy. The contest also grants the school musical workshops and the rights to perform a Broadway show, the latter of which usually costs thousands of dollars. This will allow students to perform a show they wouldn’t usually get to, Schall said.

Ruth Enriquez, student body president, echoed Schall's remarks.

"Besides being an enormous morale and pride booster for the school, it was also really touching how community members, alumni and students alike all joined together for a common cause and helped the high school for years to come," she said. "Also, Steve Madden's donation to the high school just shows how wonderful our close-knit community is and how everyone joined together to give a helping hand. The success of the contest shows how the community did not only just come together for Hurricane Sandy but also stayed together and how the feeling of togetherness grows with time."

The Lawrence School District will be celebrating the reopening of the auditorium this Wednesday at 7 p.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony and an advance ensemble concert. The event will also feature free ice cream and zeppole, courtesy of the food truck that served students at Lawrence Middle School during the relocation. Schall said the truck has become a “symbol of perseverance.”

The district will also acknowledge people that helped during the relocation effort, such as teachers, clerical staff members, custodians and community members.

“We’re going to be celebrating Smash and surviving Sandy,” Schall said.