MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe member Simon Rodriguez Jr., an Illinois State University senior from Aurora, along with Kyle Welton of Aurora, (back to camera), hug following a skit displaying opposing views on the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman. The performance troupe was part of the Illinois Teen Institute program held at Illinois Wesleyan University's Memorial Center in Bloomimngton, Tuesday, July 24, 2012.
(photos by The Pantagraph/STEVE SMEDLEY)
MWAH! artists Rachel Plasch and Rob Delgado participated in the opening
drama/vocal piece at the Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute on July 24, 2012 in
Bloomington. Rob positions an enlarged photo of Trayvon Martin, the
17-year-old who was shot to death in Sanford, Florida, and Rachel Plasch
sings the John Lennon song 'Imagine' in front of the photo of George
Zimmerman, who has admitted killing Trayvon in self-defense and has been
charged with second degree murder.
(photos by Steve Smedley of The Pantagraph)
"It makes me feel like I'm not the only person in the world who wants to stand up for the same things," he said of the conference that will end Thursday.
Inspired by the conference, he said he hopes to start an Operation Snowball group at his school, north of Peoria, to focus on youth leadership and alcohol, tobacco and drug use prevention.
He is one of 300 students from across Illinois participating in the Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute's first official conference under its new name. The group had been the Illinois Teen Institute.
Teens talked about lifestyle choices in general and not just drug prevention at the conference.
The conference also featured Chicago-based MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe in a lively musical presentation about current topics such as teen suicide, racial profiling and shootings.
"Their message is, you are not alone," said Ankit Patel, 18 of Schaumburg. He said the message makes students think "words and actions take you one step closer to life or death."
Students gasped when MWAH! (Messages which are Hopeful) members shouted racial slogans concerning the case of George Zimmerman, who is accused of killing Trayvon Martin earlier this year in a Florida subdivision. Some students covered their eyes when the actors portrayed physical abuse or shuddered at the true story of a 10-year-old girl who committed suicide over being bullied.
All became silent when troupe member Chris Oechsell, 18, of Naperville solemnly talked about the movie theater massacre last week at Aurora, Colo.
On a lighter note, participants danced and sang along to messages of hope and humor offered by the 14-member troupe.
"I believe in the message and love being a leader," said Tiffany Olson, 17 of Wisconsin, a member of the youth staff in her fourth year of participating in the conference.
This year's conference also is the first that combined junior high and high school events. It saves money and allows middle school students to interact with high school students, said Sylvia Mungongo, a middle school advisor for the conference.
"The kids are energetic and interested," she said of the conference goers who also take part in discussion groups to plan what they can do at their schools when they return home.
The conference wouldn't have happened at all if it weren't for a benefactor stepping in to replace lost state funding.
The drug prevention organization then known as the Illinois Teen Institute was in danger of closing when the state cut $1.6 million from the youth drug prevention budget for fiscal 2013.
Larry Goodman of Highland Park stepped in, however, and donated $1.1 million in a three-year grant to the Springfield-based institute, which had already planned to have its annual conference in Bloomington.
The organization officially took on its new name on Sunday in Bloomington at the start of the annual teen conference that ends Thursday. Goodman, 88, was in town for the renaming in memory of his granddaughter Cebrin Goodman, who died of a drug overdose.
For a slideshow from this CGTI performance please click Here.