Nansemond River High School’s Dr. Joleen Neighbours attended Edinburgh, Scotland’s Fringe Festival while studying for her Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees at Elon University.

Now, she’s set to return to the land of kilts, haggis and loch-dwelling monsters as a director with a bunch of her students, after Nansemond River was selected to represent Virginia high schools at the Fringe, billed as the world’s largest arts festival.

NRHS was offered the slot alongside 49 other schools as part of the 2016 American High School Theatre Festival, showcasing high school performers at the Fringe since 1994.

Regional and national theater directors have nominated Nansemond River for the honor a couple of times, according to Neighbours, who said she was required to submit a portfolio demonstrating everything her department has achieved since she joined it 12 years ago.

“You get chosen on your body of work,” Neighbours said. “It’s not just doing well one year, it’s showing consistency.”

The honor is humbling for Nansemond River, according to Neighbours, putting it on the same stage as other Virginia schools perhaps more renowned for the performing arts.

But NRHS has been punching above its weight beneath the klieg lights, an observer might conclude, earning a string of Virginia Theater Association awards year after year.

“It’s a credit to every student that comes through here,” Neighbours said of the Fringe selection.

With the two-week trip in summer 2016 costing $5,000 for each student, the fundraising has already begun. They’ve been able to raise enough money for an initial deposit toward the trip, Neighbours said, and plan to continue fundraising in $3,000 to $6,000 chunks.

“If we can find a couple of Suffolk businesses that are willing to help, their names would be on everything, from T-shirts to bags to sign,” she said.

Neighbours led her students in script-readings Wednesday to select the competition program for the next school year and to decide what to take to Scotland.

She was thinking perhaps some Shakespeare for the Virginia High School League, to help her students polish their skills in preparation for Scotland, then a musical of some type for the Fringe itself.

“She wants to do a musical,” confirmed student Rodney McKeithan, who said he expects to be surrounded in Scotland by “people who love theater, who love musicals and acting.”

One of about 26 planning on joining the NRHS team in Scotland, McKeithan said he’s been learning more about the festival since learning he’ll be performing in it.

“It’s a really big opportunity,” Savannah Miller said.

Vika Daniels, another student, said it has been her dream to travel overseas. “Since I’m only in high school, I think it’s an experience that’s going to help me grow as a person,” she said.

Liz Foshe is looking toward the opportunities the festival might provide.

“It’s a really impressive thing to put on my resume if I want to go into theater later on,” she said.

Emily McCown said, “I think it’s nice that everyone can get together to watch everyone, because it’s not just going to be Americans there.”

Anyone wishing to support the students can contact the school at 923-4101 and ask for Neighbours or principal Thomas McLemore, or email Neighbours at joleenneighbours@spsk12.net.