MWAH! troupe addresses teen issues at ROWVA High School
Posted Sep 13, 2011 @ 07:00 AM
ROWVA student Sarah Worrell is sung to by MWAH! members, from left, Rob Degado, Mason Ridenour, and Shawn Conerton during a teen safety program that covered texting while driving, abuse and bullying.
(Photo by NICK ADAMS of the Register-Mail)
Chris Oechsel comforts ROWVA student Katey Wheeler as she speaks about her close friend Kevin Moore who was killed in a car accident in August 2010. A photo of Kevin is displayed in the background.
(Photo by NICK ADAMS of the Register-Mail)
ROWVA students join in with MWAH! for a final dance during a program that talked about many issues concerning teenagers on Monday.
(Photo by NICK ADAMS of the Register-Mail)
By ERIN MCCARTHY of The Register-Mail published in Galesburg, Illinois
regarding MWAH! performance at ROWVA High School
ONEIDA—ROWVA High School and Junior High students started their week Monday morning with an emotional roller coaster ride, as they were visited by the MWAH! performing arts troupe.
Through a series of both hard-hitting and humorous skits and songs, Messages Which Are Hopeful addressed a wide range of issues, from bullying, suicide and discrimination, to alcohol and drug use, texting and driving and domestic abuse.
About 30 ROWVA students also joined in the program as backup dancers for the final number, including senior Nicole Happ, who along with two other students set the groundwork last year for bringing the program to ROWVA.
Happ and her partners Brittany Downard, a ROWVA graduate, and senior Ashley Whitman raised half the funding and booked the performance, not only as a project for their Leadership Through Service class, but also in response to the recent loss of their friend Kevin Moore who died in a fatal accident last August.
ROWVA's Family, Career and Community Leaders of America organization provided the remaining half of the funding.
Happ said she remembers seeing MWAH! as an eighth-grader.
"After they came, I just thought about everything differently, and everybody talked about them for months after," she said. "Maybe this’ll affect someone else the same way it affected me."
Happ said she expected "tears, a lot of tears," especially as the troupe connected several recent local driving deaths to the program. And she was right—quiet sobs could be heard from the audience throughout the presentation.
"I just hope everybody learns something, and next time they have a tough decision, they’ll think it over," said Happ. "Whether it’s getting in a car with someone who’s been drinking, or killing themselves, or anything."
The program featured several community speakers, including State Rep. Don Moffitt, R-Gilson, Knox County Coroner Mark Thomas, and Angie Craig, a family friend of recent crash victim Dustin Frazier.
Rhonda Brady, executive director of the Knox County Area Project, also addressed the students, reminding them "the community of ROWVA cares."
"If you think you need help, there is someone here who will listen and help," she said. "Whether it's a teacher, a counselor, the secretary or even the janitor, no one should ever feel like they’'re alone or can’t talk to somebody about their problems."
emccarthy@register-mail.com
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