Confident Young Men at Sud Academy

By: LeJon April Payne

Today was an amazing day at Sud Academy! When we arrived the students were eager to see us. They were dressed in their very best clothes. You could see their eyes peeking behind doors and windows to get a glimpse of what was to come. We were greeted by the school principal Mr. George. He welcomed us with his bright smile and a warm hug. He apologized for the rain and carefully guided us into the principal's office. He shared in our excitement and enthusiasm about the day. We patiently waited for all of the children to arrive and then it was time for the action to begin.

We gathered in a circle and began our opening warm up for the day. The students introduced themselves and chose the animal of their choice to act out. The room was full of boys and one girl. The boys were entertained by themselves as well as with their acting activities. The boys were joyful and  continued to laugh as they came out of their comfort zone and were soon ready to learn more acting techniques. Soon, we all broke up into small groups and began learning various acting strategies and written reflections by famous authors.

I had the pleasure of working with a small group of middle school boys. They were very timid at first. They sat at the wooden benches and read their poetry. They worked in pairs and as individuals to memorize their lines. They were soon ready to perform their poem for me. I was shocked they had memorized their poem so quickly! I followed them as they confidently walked outside in the mud and rainy ground. The weather could not keep them from demonstrating their accomplishments. They organized themselves and with a loud voice recited an excerpt of “Our Deepest Fear” by: Marianne Williamson. As their principal sat near by in a meeting he was in awe. He excused himself and walked over to the boys. The smile on his face spoke volumes. I was very honored to have worked with these amazing children today! I was even more excited that everyone stopped what they were doing to listen to them. Today I feel Necessary Arts was able to make this community feel proud. Please enjoy an excerpt of “Our Deepest Fear” by: Marianne Williamson performed by the boys at Sud Academy!