Parents offered to make new sets and a local middle school gave up their auditorium to help Steinert High School students.
HAMILTON - When fears of asbestos and hazardous ceiling debris shut down the Steinert High School auditorium a day before a spring play, the community snapped into action.
"The whole community, students, teachers... they were not even focusing on the negative," Steinert High School Principal Nate Webber.
The school closed down the auditorium Wednesday as a precautionary measure after determining that loose debris in the ceiling could pose a safety hazard. They also tested the room's air quality after suspecting that asbestos could be present. The air quality tests came back clear that night but the district decided to keep the auditorium closed while they worked on the loose debris issue.
That was bad news for the school's theater program, which was scheduled to hold its first showing of their spring musical, Bye Bye Birdie, the next day.
The musical was pushed back to mid march and needed to be relocated as well.
But theater director Stephanie Harden-Guinta said the community made sure that wasn't a problem - Crockett Middle School was happy to let the high school students use their space.
"They opened their doors to us," Harden-Guinta said, adding that the middle school even let Steinert students use their equipment for the play.
But the theater students faced another problem - their set was in the Steinert auditorium. It couldn't be broken down and moved, Harden-Guinta said.
Again, the community offered their services. After the news about the auditorium came out Wednesday, Harden-Guinta said she received many emails from parents offering to build new sets. She said the department couldn't take the parents up on all of their offers because of space and time constraints.
"I'm surprised and moved at how much everyone in the community seems to care," Harden-Guinta said.
Webber feels similarly. He said he met with students and staff about closing the auditorium Wednesday and was heartened by the response.
"Coming out of that meeting I had a really good feeling," Webber said, adding that people from outside the school community volunteered their time to make it work. "Parents jumped right in to get things done," he said.
Students will hold five different showings of the musical from March 10-17 and Harden-Guinta said she believes ticket sales will start March 4.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.