Weekly Media Roundup  January 7, 2015

Students Learn More Than Acting at Children’s Theatre (Vero Beach Press Journal, Florida)

Kids are learning a lot more than song and dance at the Riverside Children’s Theatre. Students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of afterschool programs at the theater, learning about lighting, sound, set and prop design, dance, singing, acting and much more. But most importantly, the kids learn life skills, including responsibility, communication skills, confidence and how to overcome fear. “Too many theaters spend all their time teaching kids how special they are instead of teaching them how to be special,” director/instructor Jeff Horger told the Press Journal. “We want to put our kids on a path to succeed in life.” Most recently, a cast of 19 students ages 10 to 15 put on a rendition of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”

Oakland: Afterschool Club That Gives Urban Boys Tools for Success Expanding (Contra Costa Times, California)

When high school teacher Ashanti Branch first learned that half of the school’s Latino and African-American boys were failing half or more of their classes, he created the Ever Forward Club to give urban youth the tools to succeed in life. Ten years later, the afterschool program has dozens of alumni, more than 90 percent of whom went on to college. Branch said the program mostly targets “students who are not really connecting to the school” to convince them that being smart and getting good grades is cool. In 2015, the club is expanding into more schools, launching a mentoring program and recruiting middle school boys for leadership training. Seventh grader Alijah Butler told the Contra Costa Times that the club helps students with their attitudes: “This is a place where we can say anything, things that are important to us, things we wouldn’t say in school.” The club will be featured in the documentary “The Mask You Live In,” premiering this month at the Sundance Film Festival.

A Leap of Faith for At-Risk Youths (Newport News Daily Press, Virginia)

Seventeen-year-old Michael Neblett said he used to be a bad kid – he got in trouble at school, disobeyed his mom and struggled to control his anger. Then he started skateboarding, and he said it changed his life. Neblett was one of five local teenagers chosen by the Newport News Department of Human Services to receive a free skating membership and mentoring at Mekos Skate Park. The initiative gives kids a safe place to be after school and aims to prevent violence, engage and empower youths and improve the lives of young people. The program offers help with homework and students said it helps build their self-esteem and motivates them to set and reach goals. Neblett told the Daily Press that he’s also learned to shoot and edit skateboarding videos through the program, and he recently applied to local colleges to study computer arts. “It all came from skateboarding,” he said.

Teenagers Tackle Heavy-Duty Themes (Ventura County Star, California)

Nine high school students recently performed “An Enemy of the People,” a sociopolitical drama that pits truth against politics and the individual against the majority, as part of the tuition-free afterschool program Literature in Action. The afterschool program has previously put on productions of “Twelve Angry People,” “Our Town,” “The Crucible” and Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” “An Enemy of the People” is set in a small town known for its healing hot springs that fuel the town economy. When the local doctor discovers the bath waters are infested with bacteria, he tries to close the springs but is met with resistance by town leaders. Katie Guthrie, who played the doctor’s sister and the town mayor, told the Ventura County Star that she hoped the performance conveyed the message of right vs. wrong while showcasing the talent of teens tackling deep material. “I’d like people to take away that teenagers are capable of more than just the stereotypical comedic plays,” she said. “They can deal with adult themes and they can perform and they can impact.”