Helloo0O
Ladies and Gentlemen!
Welcome
back to the Inspire Halton Update feed, where we send you awesome stories to
help you and those you love. Today, we're going to talk about initiative.
This
year, with all the teacher’s union/government struggles in Ontario, all
extra-curriculars were shut down in public schools. Oftentimes, annual events
like Holiday Concerts were scrapped in the collateral damage.
It
happened at my alma matre, Acton High school, when their play,
amongst other things, was shut down. It was made worse because their drama
teacher of a decade had been diagnosed with cancer months previous and wasn't
on hand to argue the verdict. Also, the long term supply brought in to cover
her was only meant to be around for one semester at first when the play takes
two semesters to produce so she couldn’t help much.
No
extracurriculars, no teacher, no play.
Well,
that's what outsiders had in mind. But the students thought something
different. There was some talk about what the play would be. Sherlock, a
rendition of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes, was eventually chosen
(thankfully − it’s a lot easier to clothe and build sets for Sherlock
than Dracula, another play choice). Damian Ewing, the Grade 12 Acton
student playing lead in this year’s production, tells how the drama kids were
committed, even “zealous”, in their pursuit of making the play a reality:
“There was no question. It wasn’t if, just how. How are we going to do this
play?” The school had to get the rights to the script, but after then it all
fell to the students. Damian tells how “everyone wanted to do their best and
step up”. He even originally offered to direct. But Megan Parr, another grade
12 student with past experience as a stage-manager, took that role. “One person
was going to do that − there was going to be no arguing. [She’d] do a good job
and [we’d] push forward like in previous times” says Damian.
Meghan;
Aidan Hammond, a graduate and current Creative Director for The Failed
Magician's League;
the current long-term supply drama teacher and a past director all sat in on
auditions. “It was all official, not amateur. All completely professional. We
had high hopes”.
When
the teacher’s union/government job actions ended the past month or so, five
months (essentially a full school semester) after when they started, the play
was on schedule. It’ll still be put on in the same month it would've been had
things gone the same as in past years. Though teachers are on board again now,
it wouldn’t have been possible to produce the play in as organized and sensible
a manner as it’s been without the student's initiative.
“It’s
on May 1st, 2nd and 3rd so the 4th
can still be with you,” says Damian, chuckling at his catch phrase.
Many
times people push off responsibilities, not wanting to do the work necessary to
achieve great results. Without Megan and the crew's initiative, there's the
chance that the play might not have gone on this year. It certainly would've
been much more rushed and less polished.
To
see the things you want done well in the world, it's up to you to put the
effort behind them to get them that way. Sure, it'd be more fair if associates
would pull their load, if they didn't blame others and hurt their plan in the
same breath. But life is far from fair and people sometimes never do the
logical thing. We are emotional beings, too, and sometimes it's easier to play
into a mood of laziness and comfort in the present than one of uncertainty in
the future.
But
to do the heavy lifting, to get the real results, you've gotta be like Megan
and Damian – you've gotta have initiative and be strong in your convictions to
improve the world. Then, and only then, will you really shake the bells in your
favour.
The
last night of the play is tonight. Acton High school, tickets $10. Doors
open at 6:30pm.
Can’t
wait to see you there.
Alex
H.
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