Stanley Middle arts hall named in memory of late band director
Stanley Middle School’s center for music, arts, entertainment and other programs was recently named in honor of the school’s late band director of nearly two decades.
Members of the Gaston County school board approved naming the school’s cafetorium – a large, mixed use space – the “Kelly Payne Robb Cultural Arts Hall” last week.
Naming of the cafetorium, where Robb’s students often performed concerts before the pandemic, came after more than 2,800 people petitioned to dedicate the space to Robb.
“We knew cultural arts was important to Mrs. Robb and important to our school,” said Principal Rebecca Huffstetler, who graduated from East Gaston High School with Robb. “In the short time we had been at our new school, that space had housed band programs, we had musicals there, [and] we had an art auction there.”