From left, Carrie Nesselrode of the Parkersburg High School Foundation Board; Dixie Showalter, of the PHS Foundation Board and auditorium committee member; Sue Steinbeck, president of PHS Foundation Board, and Larry Johnson, treasurer of the PHS Foundation Board, stand in front of the stage in the PHS Auditorium. (Photo by Paul LaPann)

PARKERSBURG — A sound and lighting upgrade in the Parkersburg High School Auditorium will be completed soon, thanks to the Parkersburg High School Foundation.

The sound and lighting work is the first of a two-phase project to improve the high school auditorium. Phase two plans call for new seats to be installed in the auditorium.

Workers from Electronic Specialty Co. of Dunbar were finishing the auditorium sound system improvements this week, including providing lapel microphones, head-worn microphones and hand-held microphones, along with sound speakers in the facility. Assistive listening devices will be provided.

The auditorium will have the sound components of a professional theater, said Mark Wood, audio/video/lighting manager for Electronic Specialty Co.

The PHS Auditorium has excellent acoustics, said Wood, who attended Vienna Elementary School.

Workers for Electronic Specialty Co. install new sound and lighting equipment in the Parkersburg High School Auditorium. (Photo Provided)

The auditorium lighting improvements are expected to be completed around the time classes begin next Wednesday, Wood said.

The sound and lighting systems will be operated by an iPad. The auditorium will have Wi-Fi capabilities.

Using the iPad, a teacher will control the sound and lighting in the auditorium, Wood said. Students can be trained in this modern sound and lighting technology.

The PHS Foundation raised $72,000 for the sound and lighting improvements. Alumni, Centennial Choir members and DuPont provided the funding.

The foundation will be getting information from companies on replacing the 800 seats on the main floor, said Sue Steinbeck, president of the PHS Foundation Board. The auditorium seats about 1,200 people, including the original seats in the balcony from when the school opened in 1917.

Steinbeck hopes work can begin next summer on replacing the auditorium seats.

“One year ago this month, we celebrated the centennial of Parkersburg High School. As we finish the year of celebration, the PHS Foundation is giving the gift of new sound and lighting for the auditorium to the school,” Steinbeck said.

The foundation provided $18,000 for new stage curtains in the auditorium five years ago. The school system refinished and reinforced the stage floor.

The PHS Auditorium is used not only by the high school but also as a venue for elementary school concerts, Point Park Concert Series shows, middle school assemblies and guest speakers.

The seating capacity, parking and acoustics make the PHS Auditorium a nice place to hold activities, said foundation board members.

The Parkersburg High School Foundation most recently has raised $90,000 for the school, including $17,000 in teacher grants and money for security measures, along with the auditorium improvements.

The mission of the Parkersburg High School Foundation is to encourage traditions and enhance educational excellence at PHS.

Donations are being accepted for the auditorium seats. Checks can be made out to The Parkersburg High School Foundation and mailed to the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation at P.O. Box 1762, Parkersburg, WV 26102 or to Parkersburg High School at 2101 Dudley Ave., Parkersburg, WV 26101 with “auditorium seating” on the memo line of both locations.