CHARLES' CHOICE & Charly's Choice
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This spring the Dufferin Peel Region Catholic District School Board stepped up to the challenge by testing the new safe school and community anti-bullying "IT'S ALL ABOUT RESPECT" Charles' Choice (secondary) and Charly's Choice (elementary) student performance workshops, plays and events .
The CC plays and events were specifically designed by newcomer, Kaitlinn Ann webber, to provide students with an opportunity to experience and use the arts to initiate dialogue, invoke introspection for the examination of beliefs, mindsets and actions so students could expand their perspective in order to see other people from views other than their own.
For the pilot Student Performance Workshops, Kaitlin drew on the performance expertise of DORA Award Winner, Brian Wolff, creator, owner and performer for his Mr. Theatre Company that toured and performed for Ontario schools and students for sixteen yeras. Mr. Wolff's theatre skills were very helpful in many aspects of the creation of the CC student performance workshops.
Still, the pilots were new and there were many challenges to overcome. And they have been. As a result of the honest feedback from the returned participants' surveys and the other correspondence, plus the overall consensus that the concept is great and should be taken on the road for it is desperately needed as a dynamic catalyst, whether alone or in conjunction with other safe school and community initiatives, the refinements have been made this summer, making the tested and revised Charles' Choice and Charly's Choice student performance workshops, plays, events, facilitator and administrator support ready to take to the road to our Ontario schools this fall.
Some people believe that if something isn't perfect on the first go, then it isn't worth it -- but as many directors, producers, artists, inventors, scientists and entrepreneurs will tell you that if we all gave up on a good idea on the first attempt, well, certainly we wouldn't be enjoying the benefits their persistent efforts created.
Thanks to all visionaires, like the Dufferin Peel Region Catholic District School Board and the future schools and communities who are searching for and utilizing new programs like these that work with their mandates and other programs to create safer schools and communities for all of us.
The Dalia Lama, Harmony in Diversity
Then check out the complete "IT'S ALL ABOUT RESPECT"
Student Performance Workshops, Plays and Events on http://clik.to/kaitlinannoriginals
Or contact Kaitlin Ann Webber @ 416-871-5475 Email: [email protected]