By Tamas Mondovics
Lennard High School access level students or lower level Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students involved with the school’s special drama class, had an opportunity to entertain their teachers and fellow students last month with a one of a kind performance.
While the students are not new to the stage, this year’s theatrical performance of Disney’s High School Musical was much bigger.
“The students have performed a play every year for the last few years and after last year’s performance of Peter Pan, they specifically asked if they could do High School Musical,” said Lennard Drama teacher, Holly Talley.
“The 20 students in the visual performing arts class have been practicing since September and were so excited to perform.”
While the play and the students’ efforts get the rightly deserved applause, the most beautiful thing about the play was what is has accomplished both on and off stage.
“The great thing about it is that our faculty and even whole classes of students donated money to sponsor each of the students so they would have a ‘real’ costume that they get to keep,” said district spokesperson Tanya Arja.
For starters non-ESE students, Aliya Russell and Lexi Gardner participated in the play and have supported the daily preparations during their lunch.
Arja emphasized that the school officials want all students to feel included at Lennard and know that they are an important part of the school.
“It is important for our ESE students because they got to showcase their talents to the rest of the school and this performance also allowed our general student population the opportunity to show their support for their classmates,” Arja said.
Pleased with all that has been accomplished, Lennard High School Principal Mary Freitas said, “I am incredibly proud of the way our students and staff came together to support this venture. In order to purchase costumes for the play, which the students get to keep, staff members and students donated their own money to sponsor a child’s costume. From the beginning, the entire Lennard family has worked to make sure the students’ dream of performing High School Musical became a reality.”
For more information about Lennard High School, visit www.sdhc.k12.fl.us.
