Park Academy’s theater program is different than other schools as it is an integrated part of many of our students’ schedules, not simply an extra curricular activity. That speaks volumes as to how important we feel theater is for our students’ growth.
We often hear from parents that their child would not enjoy theater. After all, many of our students struggle with:
- Anxiety
- Memorization
- Reading aloud publicly
- Direction
However, theater offers growth opportunities and new perceptions for our students and community. For the past ten years, Ms. Jill Giedt has led the theater program at Park Academy. Her favorite part of the class is when the shy, introverted student who is terrified of being on stage trusts her enough to take her class. She loves helping them see themselves through a new lens.
After all, theater is perfect for our students, they report that they like it because:
“It is a confidence boost. I not only can learn my lines but Ms. Giedt trusts me to get to know the character and make it my own. This helps my self-esteem grow.”
“My other school had theater. It helps me have a “normal” high school experience as if I attend a larger school. It gives me a creative outlet to be proud of with my peers.”
Don’t miss out our final production of the year, the high school’s rendition of West Side Story on today, May 18th, at 2pm and 7pm here at Park Academy!