Spartanburg High School students, under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Tice, are participating in a pilot program that introduces them to the world of music production using a program called Build-A-Band. Build-A-Band photo   

Pilot program to introduce Spartan High students to world of music production

By L. C. Leach III, Spartan Weekly News staff writer

Pretend you are touring a professional music studio in Chicago, Nashville, or Philadelphia while a top band is recording an album, and you imagine yourself at the control panel behind a big glass screen putting your expertise and touch on every song.

This kind of vision could soon start to become real for students at Spartanburg High School with the introduction of a new music program called Build-a-Band.

Piloted by district superintendent Jeff Stevens, Build-a-Band allows students who are interested in the production side of music a start to learning how to compose, produce, and publish original music with all possible industry tools used in professional studios.

Anticipation for the offering is already running high, as district officials are not only hoping the program will become a permanent course, but potentially a new profession for students to pursue.

“We do some music technology courses, and I thought it would be good for students interested in the production or writing side of music,” said Dr. Terry Pruitt, chief academic officer with Spartanburg School District 7. “This kind of training helps them learn how to do that, and we will start right after the holidays.”

The Build-A-Band idea began forming last spring when Stevens introduced Pruitt to Shaun Masavage, CEO of Zealot Interactive in Buffalo, N.Y., who developed the online program and curriculum in 2022 to bring new technological advancements to music education.

Masavage and Pruitt then sifted through a slew of details and chose music teacher Dr. Kenneth Tice for initial instruction.

“The platform was purchased to be used in an honors or advanced music technology class,” said Dr. Tice, now in his 23rd year of teaching music, and 4th at Spartanburg High. “We will pilot some of the features in the spring semester, in hopes of offering the class next school year.”

For example, suppose during your visit to the professional studio, you had the chance to sit in the control room during an actual production and make any changes that you think would improve the sound of the recordings.

Where would you place microphones to best capture the intended sound?

How many microphones would you need?

What recording levels would best suit the band in studio?

What would be the order of your plug-ins for signal flow to ensure the highest sound quality possible?

Would you add any studio sound effects not supplied by the musicians?

And would you suggest recording the vocals, bass, guitars, drums and any other instruments separately and mixing them later? Or would you record them altogether to capture as much of the original sound as possible?  

“Music production is complicated and involves so many different facets of knowledge ranging from technical with Digital Audio Workstations to legal and copyright law,” Masavage said. “Our program covers everything at a level to give students the confidence to go out into the world with their creative works and feel supported.”

Spartanburg High is the first high school in South Carolina to adopt the Build-a-Band program – but six other school districts have shown interest.

So far, 10 students have signed up, with room for five more – and if the program takes off as hoped, demand might soon outpace supply. 

“We want to see how it goes for a couple of semesters and evaluate it for the future,” Dr. Pruitt said. “But the training, using this technology, can help students learn what music production is all about without replacing musicians.”

Hair of the Dog Run returns to Spartanburg YMCA on January 1 to kick off 2026

By Melissa Rhine, Spartan Weekly News staff writer

Spartanburg residents will have the opportunity to start the new year on the move when the YMCA of Greater Spartanburg hosts the 44th Annual Hair of the Dog Run on New Year’s Day.

The longtime community tradition will take place on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, at the Thomas E. Hannah Family YMCA, located at 151 Ribault St. The event includes multiple race options designed for runners, walkers, families and even four-legged companions.

Race day begins at 9 a.m. with the 1-mile fun run, followed by the 10K at 9 a.m. and the 5K at 9:30 a.m. The 5K and 10K courses wind through Converse Heights and Duncan Park, offering participants scenic neighborhood routes to welcome the new year. Leashed dogs are welcome.

Organizers say the Hair of the Dog Run is intentionally inclusive, welcoming participants of all fitness levels — from experienced runners to those just getting started. That supportive atmosphere is what many past participants remember most.

Casandra, who has participated in the race in the past, said starting the new year at the event left a lasting impression.

“Starting the new year moving my body just felt great,” she said. “What a better way to start a new year?!”

She said the sense of community was evident even before the race began.“The community and friends at the start of the race really stood out,” she said. “There were lots of ‘fur friends,’ too.”

While the course includes some hills, the runner said the encouragement along the route made the experience memorable.

“During the race, when I wanted to slow down or stop, another runner encouraged me to keep going,” she said. “It was just what I needed to finish.”

At the time, she said, she had not yet begun her running journey, making the moment especially meaningful.

“The encouragement from that stranger was so refreshing,” she said. “It gave me a glimpse of what the running community looks like.”

The race is professionally timed by Upstate Race Series, with announcements provided by Urban Announcing. Breakfast is included with registration, adding to the festive New Year’s Day atmosphere.

Advance registration is encouraged. Proceeds from the Hair of the Dog Run benefit the YMCA of Greater Spartanburg, a nonprofit organization devoted to youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The YMCA offers programs including fitness classes, swim teams, youth sports, childcare and wellness initiatives, with funds helping support financial assistance for individuals and families.

When asked if she would recommend the race, the past participant didn’t hesitate.

“Yes, I would recommend it,” she said. “It was a fun one!”

Registration is available at spartanburgymca.org. Additional updates and race-day information can be found by following YMCA of Greater Spartanburg – Thomas E. Hannah on social media.

AFL honors first class of Women in Production graduates

SPARTANBURG — AFL, a major employer in Spartanburg County and a global manufacturer of fiber optic cable and connectivity solutions, is recognizing 15 associates who recently completed the Women in Production professional development program.

The graduates make up AFL’s inaugural class to complete the 20-week online course, which is offered through the Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation and is designed to help women working in manufacturing develop leadership and professional skills.

“Our production teams are the backbone of our operations, and these women bring valuable perspectives to the front lines of our organization,” said Lisa Gunton, AFL senior vice president and chief human resources officer. “By supporting their participation in this program, we’re investing in their growth as leaders and contributing to a stronger manufacturing industry overall.”

The 15 graduates represent AFL manufacturing operations across the country, including the Upstate, and collectively bring between four and 35 years of industry experience. 

AFL sponsored their participation as part of its ongoing effort to strengthen its workforce and invest in employee development. Participants described the program as a transformative experience that built confidence and provided new tools for career advancement.

Allison Roberts Grealis, founder and president of the Women in Manufacturing Association, praised AFL’s involvement in the program.“AFL has been a valued partner, and we’re thrilled to see its commitment to employee development,” Grealis said. “Every employee at AFL should be excited to work for a company that invests in their growth in such meaningful ways.”

Gretchen Moore, executive director of the Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation, said programs like Women in Production benefit both individual workers and the broader industry.

“When companies invest in programs like Women in Production, they’re not just developing individual leaders, they are strengthening the entire manufacturing industry,” Moore said. “These graduates now have the skills and confidence to drive innovation.”

The Women in Manufacturing Association is the nation’s only trade organization dedicated to supporting women in manufacturing careers. Its Women in Production program is delivered entirely online and includes self-paced lessons, a StrengthsFinder assessment, one-on-one coaching and monthly peer discussions.

Angel Cox

From Broadway lights to puppy paws: Meet your neighbor Angel Cox

Meet Your Neighbor is a weekly feature by Spartan

Weekly News staff writer Grace Anne Johnson. If you’d like to be featured, or know someone that would be a great candidate

to be featured, please email us at sprtnwkly@aol.com or call 864.574.1360.

***

Angel Cox has lived a life filled with stories. 

A Spartanburg native, Cox grew up in the area, where she owned a prominent dance studio and taught 1,000 students weekly. In 1989, one of those students booked the Broadway tour of  Gypsy, and Cox joined the tour as an instructor for the summer. 

When the tour moved to New York City, so did Cox. 

She sold her studios and relocated to the city, where she spent over a decade working within the New York theatre community. When she first moved to New York, she taught private dance lessons for children across Broadway, including famous faces such as Lacey Chabert and Britney Spears. From there, she moved into working under Alan Wasser, a general manager for all Cameron Mackintosh shows—Broadway’s largest producer. 

She worked on iconic productions such as Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, and Phantom of the Opera, then began marketing for The Broadway League (known at the time as the League of American Theatres and Producers)—the marketing arm of all Broadway. 

Cox produced outdoor concerts for 50,000 people, worked behind the scenes on the Tony Awards, and did sound for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Times Square ball drop on New Year’s Eve. 

However, in the years following 9/11, her father was in poor health, and Cox made a decision—it was time to come home after nearly 15 years in the city. 

Unsurprisingly, though Cox was no longer in New York, she didn’t slow down. She continued working with the Broadway community from afar, flying to trade shows and working on a translation system that allowed foreign tourists to understand theatre. Then, when her father’s legal secretary of 35 years retired, Cox stepped in. 

She learned how to do everything from guilty pleas to adoptions—an entirely different field than she was used to. After several years of working in law, she transitioned briefly to real estate after her father retired before moving back to the love she’d discovered in New York—marketing. 

Cox took a job with the Palladium Group, a large marketing firm in Spartanburg handling both regional and national clients. It was exactly the kind of work she had been craving, allowing her to once again manage large-scale events. 

However, with time, Cox discovered she wanted to use her marketing skills to share the stories of a different kind of clientele—the four-legged variety. 

“My family was a huge animal family growing up,” said Cox, “so that was my life.” Her love for animals had followed her to New York, where she had even considered showing dogs at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show—a dream that quickly dissolved when a visit to a dog breeder resulted in Cox adopting a Lhasa Apso with an underbite. The dog wasn’t eligible to compete, but Cox didn’t care. She couldn’t stand the thought of anything happening to her, and bought her on the spot. Cox later named the dog Morgan, and shares that she was her favorite dog she’s ever owned. 

For Cox, that’s saying a lot. The current CEO of the Spartanburg Humane Society, Cox personally owns seven dogs and two cats, a fact that’s no surprise to anyone who knows her heart for animals. 

The Spartanburg Humane Society is an open admission facility, meaning they take all animals, without discrimination of breed or bite history. If they have space, they’ll always welcome an animal with open arms. 

As a private nonprofit, the Humane Society operates almost 100% on donations. Cox shares that it takes a village to care for the over 500 animals under their roof, and that she dreams of building a new shelter—but that it will take a lot of fundraising to get there. 

Cox loves using her marketing skills to raise awareness for all that Spartanburg Humane is doing. But she also loves the quieter moments of her job, like getting to see families—especially kids—fall in love with their newest family member. 

“Seeing dogs that have lived on the street or had really bad times, to see them really changing and getting to go home with somebody…it’s life changing,” she shares. “And you know you’re really changing lives because it’s not just the dog, it’s the family. You know the family’s life is going to be changed, and that’s so wonderful.”