SBHS Auditorium Project in Honor of Bob Nickel
Mr. Bob Nickel gave many years of dedicated service to the students of Door and Kewaunee Counties, including 15 years of unparalleled leadership at Sturgeon Bay High School. Following Bob’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis in early January 2022, we began talking about a way we could best show our appreciation to him and his family for what he has meant to so many people, and also support our Music program and the Arts.
Principal Nickel was always a major proponent of our Music program and the Arts, especially in his time here at Sturgeon Bay High School. This dedication has shown itself in more than just words. As an extremely talented pianist, Bob was a constant participant in the Sturgeon Bay High School auditorium and was quick to step up and help as an accompanist with various performances. The success of Sturgeon Bay High School’s Fine Arts department is a tribute not only to our students, families, and staff, but also to Principal Nickel.
Bob continued to advocate for upgrades to the Sturgeon Bay High School auditorium even as he was planning his retirement from the district. This was often seen in meetings as we planned for large-scale updates throughout the high school over the summer of 2021. Nary a meeting went by when a request from Bob was not made to upgrade the auditorium seating.
With this in mind, the plan to update the auditorium is a way to honor Bob’s musical legacy and recognize his contributions to the Music program and the Arts. We would also like to honor Bob with a plaque near the auditorium entrance, as well as name the auditorium in Bob’s honor. With the blessing of the Nickel family, we have begun these efforts.
We are still in the process of fine tuning possibilities, but are confident in the ability to get the monetary support needed to update the seating and flooring in the auditorium. As word of this effort spreads, it is possible that we find ourselves with more donations than what the new seating and flooring will cost. In that case, we have begun to target other areas involving the SBHS auditorium and performing arts here at Sturgeon Bay High School, which we may look to pursue. Some of the current ideas are as follows:
- Auditorium Seating and Flooring: approximately $130,000
- Additional Updates within the Auditorium could include:
- Repainting the auditorium
- Updating the sound booth
- Replacing the lights on the stage with LED lights
- Addressing auditorium/stage storage
- Repaint and refresh the dressing rooms
- Scholarship: An additional idea involves creating a performing arts scholarship fund for students graduating from Sturgeon Bay High School.
Donations for the SBHS Auditorium Project may be dropped off or mailed to 1230 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 or at any Door County Nicolet Bank location. Online donations may also be made by clicking here or the SBHS Auditorium Project Quick Link on the left side of the school district home page. A school district activity account has also been established in Bob’s honor for this project. For more information please contact our District Office at 920-746-2800.
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