26-04-2025
More than 12K local students see Tattoo
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Local kids took a trip around the world Friday without ever leaving the Norfolk's Scope Arena, as the Virginia International Tattoo did a special matinee performance just for students.
Virginia International Tattoo
More than 6,000 schoolchildren across Hampton Roads from different schools and grades filled Scope Arena, cheering and counting down as the Tattoo was getting ready to start.
'It's always great for our students to get out of the building and experience different things,' said Stefanie Wilson, fifth-grade teacher at Southwestern Elementary School in Chesapeake.
Friday, students got to see Highland dancers from Australia, bagpipes and military bands from all over the world.
'This is a live performance, and a lot of our students are not exposed to that,' Wilson said. 'So to see this is very, very exciting for them.'
The Virginia Arts Festival said education is one of the main pillars of the Tattoo, and it wants to teach kids about the different cultures through music.
'It's really cool,' said Christian Washington, a Green Run High School senior. 'I really get to learn about different people's cultures and see things you don't really see in Virginia or anywhere in the states.'
Each year, students from local school divisions come out for two student matinees at Scope Arena.
'It makes me excited to even hear the screams because the students have a great time, and they love coming to things like this,' Wilson said.
For students who cannot go on the field trip, the cast will go to local schools. By the end of the week, more than 15,000 students will learn about culture, music and the military.
'[It's] a different perspective, especially given that, like sometimes we're in school, you pretty much just see the school walls,' Washington said.
The Tattoo runs until Sunday.
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