SILER CITY, N.C. — Longtime volunteer Helen Nunn, who has helped Jordan-Matthews High School theater thrive for more than a decade, has been presented the 2026 JMArts Community Hero Award.

Presented this year for the seventh time, the annual award was created to honor volunteers from the community who have contributed significantly to the success of the arts at Jordan-Matthews.

Nunn has been a long-time friend of the school's arts programs, both as a parent and a volunteer. A talented and creative seamstress, she has made many of the costumes audiences have enjoyed for more than a decade — before and after her retirement from teaching at Chatham Middle School.

“Whenever we need a costume made, our go-to response for years has been, ‘Let’s call Helen!’” said JMArts president Rose Pate. “In fact, she's the reason our 24 nuns in ‘Sister Act’ all had their complete habits! I’m very grateful for all of her time and effort. She’s a true lover of theater — and of kids.”

“Sister Act” not only enjoyed a successful run this spring, but it received regional acclaim, being named a finalist for Best Musical and Best Ensemble in this year’s DPAC Rising Star Awards highlighting the best high school productions in a 31-county region including schools in Greensboro and across the Research Triangle. Costumes, Pate said, were an essential part of those accolades.

Previous JMArts Community Hero Award winners are Mark and Elizabeth Zeringue, Dr. Zachary D. Wills, Cynthia Bredenberg, Dr. William “Chip” Pate, Sharon Allen and Denise Partin.

More information about JMArts is available online at JMArts.org. The site includes a list of all student award winners over the last several years and details about many foundation initiatives including its flagship JMArts Scholars and Pinnacle of the Arts.

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