Julie Andrews To Meet With Arts High School Students

By Samantha Smith, NewsRadio 830 WCCO

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. (WCCO) -- A legendary performer, best known for her roles in "The Sound of Music" and "Mary Poppins" will be making a stop in Golden Valley on Thursday.

Julie Andrews will speak with students at the Perpich Center for Arts Education Thursday afternoon, thanks to a request by senior Ben Schultz.

Last year Schultz came up with the idea to invite a star to come visit his school. He said he chose Andrews because she would provide a great opportunity for his classmates.

After communicating with school officials and Andrews' manager a year ago, Schultz was told that his request was not possible at the time.

When he received word that the woman he looks up to had a scheduled visit in Minnesota this spring, he immediately tried to set things up once again. This time he was successful.

Schultz said his first reaction upon receiving the good news was "Whoa, this is awesome."

He then spent the next week expressing his excitement to his classmates, friends and family. A process which he said exhausted him through the following week.

Others at Perpich share Schultz's excitement.

"I still think some of them still can't believe that this wonderful lady is coming to our school to talk to the students," he said.

While at Perpich, Andrews will share her personal message about the value of learning in and through the arts along with the relationship between creativity and achievement.

The passionate advocate for arts education, who also attended an arts-focused school in London as a youth, will then be presented with a resolution to be passed by the Minnesota Legislature recognizing her lifelong commitment to arts education.

According to Schultz, Andrews' is a legend who has continued to entertain several generations.

"My grandparents grew up watching and listening to her, my parents grew up watching her, I grew up with her as Mary Poppins and Maria and even in more recent movies like 'The Princess Diaries' and 'Tooth Fairy.' She played characters for the generation below me," exclaimed Schultz.

He said she's still connecting to generations both older and younger than him and has found a way to somehow bring everyone together in a way that he does not think many artists can.

It's her connection with a wide variety of people and the way she conducts herself in life that Schultz said he admires most about her.

Schultz will have the opportunity to be Andrews' guide around the school as well as introducing her to the student body.