Goodbye Class of 2012

Can't believe I had my advisory since they were 14

 Yesterday, I said goodbye to a sweet young man who has been in every one of the 7 shows I have produced. This sweet kid calls me "mom," and I felt as proud as a mom as he walked that stage. I will miss all of my drama seniors, and my advisory students (most of whom I have had for four long years), but saying goodbye to Mr. Willy Wonka himself was the most emotional.

The end of the year makes me a proud teacher in so many ways. I love teaching the arts, and I see my impact on this community most in the area of the arts. When I started at this school, many of my students had never seen a professional live play... ever. I have a junior right now who has already seen one professionally done performance of Shakespeare (Comedy of Errors), four professional musicals (Chicago, Mary Poppins, Phantom of the Opera, The Producers), an Eastern-influenced play (Three Year Swim Club), and live tapings of four different television shows. He has acted in two musicals and three plays, co-directed an abridged version of Midsummer Night's Dream, and acted in a professional documentary on internet safety. In his three years in drama, he has really covered a lot. When he leaves this school, he will have a very well-rounded background in performing arts. One of my veteran girls proudly informed, upon returning from Greece over Spring Break, that when she stood in the ruins of an ancient Greek theatre, she already knew how the acoustics worked, and that she proudly could point out the parados. I feel like this is stuff to be proud of.

As soon as I can get through this pile of papers and submit my grades... I am going to be really excited for next year.