January 24, 2025 Williamsport, PA –The Community Arts Center is pleased to announce it received a $15,000 donation from First Citizens Community Bank as part of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program.
The historic 2,100-seat venue has been designated as an Educational Improvement Organization under the EITC program through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for providing high quality innovative educational programs. Each year the CAC produces a Student Summer Stock musical or drama for junior and high school students from as many as 9 school
districts which includes over eight weeks of daily rehearsals and culminates with three-days of performances in late July. Another highly engaging and experience-enriched student opportunity that the CAC offers is the annual holiday production of The Nutcracker. This collaboration with St. John’s School of the Arts Dance ensemble and Williamsport Youth Choir includes more than 125 young ballet dancers and musicians (k-12). And annually since 2007, the Community Arts Center has been able to provide thousands of students access to exceptional arts programming through its Educational Series that enhances the classroom curriculum of nine school districts.
“We are deeply committed to building stronger communities through education,” said Randy Black, President and CEO of FCCB. “These partnerships with local organizations reflect our ongoing dedication to fostering a brighter future for the regions we serve, ensuring that all students and families have the resources they need to succeed.”
The EITC program provides tax credits to eligible companies that do business in the state when they contribute to scholarship organizations, educational improvement organizations and/or pre-kindergarten scholarship organizations.
“This generous contribution from First Citizens Community Bank will be indispensable in supporting programs like our annual Educational Series. We’re very grateful for this funding, which will allow us to continue to present quality content to learners throughout North Central Pennsylvania,” said Jim Dougherty, executive director of the CAC.
Funding for the educational programs is derived from various sources, including EITC Funds, donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants.
“The support the Community Arts Center receives from the business community allows us to engage the youth in enriching ways,” said Ana Gonzalez-White, College Relations Officer for CAC development. “And for many it is also the first time they have been in the CAC. We are very grateful to First Citizens Community Bank for their commitment.”
For more information about giving opportunities at the CAC, contact Gonzalez-White at 570-327-7657 or email [email protected].
The Community Arts Center is owned and operated by Pennsylvania College of Technology, a national leader in applied technology education. For more information on the college, visit www.pct.edu.