There is so much that I admire happening in our after school and summer programs for kids in late elementary and middle school. The focus of my musings for this newsletter are the kids that take part in the main stage shows.

Last night the cast of “Mary Poppins” was working on the choreography for “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”, it was not easy. We have a few high school students a middle schooler, and one elementary student taking on different roles in this production. Those kids were working just as hard, if not more so than the adults in the cast. Learning and practicing their dance steps with enthusiasm and energy that the more senior cast members (myself included) couldn’t help but envy.

They do all of this work memorizing, singing, and dancing while still going to school. Not only do they go to school, but they play a sport, or an instrument, or are in show choir, or take part in our Stage Door productions. For these kids, theater isn’t just a choice, it is a way of life. And I will keep looking up to the amazing youth I continue to interact with on and off stage. Way to go kids!

Morgan Tunink