Monday, July 25, 2005
Checking In
It's been a month, a busy one.
Spent two weeks working again with IMAGES Theater, run by Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Riverside Counties. Blatantly educational theater, of course--it takes a troupe of diverse San Diego teens and over the summer a) trains them to be peer educators and b) has them create theater about issues pertaining to teenagers (STIs, relationship violence, etc.). During the school year, they perform it to high schools all over the county.
My approach, of course, is to try and get them to develop the scenes based on material from their own lives and stories. This year felt especially rewarding, as it's been awhile since I've been really engaged in teaching/facilitating. The cast was a little older, a little more mature, and all very strong performers--ambitious and committed.
Frankly, I don't know how effective it is; not to say it isn't effective--hey, the private funders/supporters (well heeled pro-choice and education San Diegans) always love it. But I've never attended one of their school assemblies, so I really can't say. I think it's a great model, especially as it is a paid position for the kids, and training youth to be able to speak about some of these sticky wickets without shame and with the salient information is always a plus.
It is what it is. It was fun, paid some bills; I believe in the mission of the organization, liked the kids, have a good boss there. For the moment, it's enough (for always, it wouldn't be.)
Spent two weeks working again with IMAGES Theater, run by Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Riverside Counties. Blatantly educational theater, of course--it takes a troupe of diverse San Diego teens and over the summer a) trains them to be peer educators and b) has them create theater about issues pertaining to teenagers (STIs, relationship violence, etc.). During the school year, they perform it to high schools all over the county.
My approach, of course, is to try and get them to develop the scenes based on material from their own lives and stories. This year felt especially rewarding, as it's been awhile since I've been really engaged in teaching/facilitating. The cast was a little older, a little more mature, and all very strong performers--ambitious and committed.
Frankly, I don't know how effective it is; not to say it isn't effective--hey, the private funders/supporters (well heeled pro-choice and education San Diegans) always love it. But I've never attended one of their school assemblies, so I really can't say. I think it's a great model, especially as it is a paid position for the kids, and training youth to be able to speak about some of these sticky wickets without shame and with the salient information is always a plus.
It is what it is. It was fun, paid some bills; I believe in the mission of the organization, liked the kids, have a good boss there. For the moment, it's enough (for always, it wouldn't be.)
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