When Candy Schneider joined the Smith Center for the Performing Arts more than five years ago, there was a sense that the new institution was taking its education and outreach seriously. If its mission really was to enrich the community, then no better place to start than education—and no better person for that job than Schneider.

Schneider spent more than 30 years in the Clark County School District connecting students with the arts. The former art teacher helped develop a district-wide elementary school arts program, then as assistant director in the School-Community Partnership Program, ushered thousands of students to local and touring arts performances.

As vice president of the Smith Center’s Education and Outreach program, she works on programs and partnerships, including the Kennedy Center’s Any Given Child Program, which strives to provide equity and access to the arts for all students, kindergarten through eighth grade.

Additionally, Schneider and her team have been surveying current art offerings for students and are working with local arts groups, setting visions and goals. They will also arrange the master classes with visiting artists.

So when the Smith Center opens in March, students will be there—in the black box theater for a touring performance of Frindle and for main hall performances and lectures by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

And that’s just the beginning.