MWAH! shares stories, impacts of being bullied
Published by Morris Daily Herald – September 13, 2012
By Jessica Cohea – jcohea@morrisdailyherald.com
MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe member Alex Oechsel looks at a photo of Dylan Wagner, a Batavia High School student who committed suicide when he was 15–years–old, as she sings 'Why' by Rascal Flatts – (Herald Photo by Jessica Cohea)
Jacob Metoyer, 16, grew up in Dallas, Texas, but eventually moved because his father was transferred to Illinois for his job.
Some kids may have been upset if they were told they were moving states away from the place they called home. Metoyer, however, was thrilled.
"I was bullied growing up ... I thought, ‘This is great. I get to start over. I get a new beginning. Maybe there won't be a bully,'" Metoyer remembered.
He quickly found out, however, that bullies are everywhere. They are in Texas. They are in Illinois. They just have different names and different faces.
"You just have to find a way to cope with it. I was really lucky to have a good support system," Metoyer said. "My friends and my family were always there, but it seemed like the bullies' voices always outweighed their voices."
He learned that music, either singing, playing or writing it, helped him escape the bullies. He wrote a song called 'Sticks and Stones' to help him cope with whatever he was going through.
Metoyer performed 'Sticks and Stones' at Marseilles Elementary School in Marseilles, Monday, Sept 10, as a part of a presentation by the MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe.
During their show, MWAH! – Messages Which Are Hopeful! – spoke to the students about tragedies caused by bullying and making poor decisions. The 11-member troupe, including Metoyer, recalled personal hardships and told stories about other kids' struggles.
Fifth- through eighth-grade students from the Marseilles school heard stories they may have heard previously on the news, like those of shootings at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., at a Sikh temple in Milwaukee, Wis., at Virginia Tech University, at Northern Illinois University and at Chardon High School and more.
But they also heard stories of more local victims, too.
Dylan Wagner, a 15-year-old student from Batavia High School in Batavia, Ill., committed suicide in April 2010. Wagner's mother spoke at a previous MWAH! presentation and told the audience she and her husband came home after taking a walk to find a note from their son on the kitchen table and his body in the basement, according to published reports. Wagner hanged himself.
Following the incident, MWAH! troupe members spoke with Wagner's sister.
"She wanted us to tell you guys that we need to understand that dark moments and sad thoughts do not last forever," Rachel Plasch told the students Monday. "And that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness."
Jamey Rodemeyer, a 15-year-old from Buffalo, N.Y., also took his own life in 2011. Rodemeyer had been the victim of cyberbullying for more than a year for being gay.
"Among the people that expressed emotion after his loss was his idol Lady Gaga," Plasch said. "She tweeted that bullying is a hate crime and it should become illegal."
Plasch then told the Marseilles students everyone needs to learn to respect others because of their differences.
In between the tragic stories, MWAH! members sang to pictures of the deceased and to one another when stories were told through dramatizations or short speeches. Song's included Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way,' John Lennon's 'Imagine' and Rascal Flatts' 'Why.'
Principal Jeff Owens spoke to his students about the dangers of distracted driving as well.
"You have a few years yet, but how many of you have been in the car when mom or dad have been texting (while driving)?" he asked. "Now you get to be the adult. Tell them to stop."
Owens also said the same about the students' older siblings that may be driving. He encouraged his students to tell the driver, "I'll read it to you."
Mixed in with the sobering tales and melodies, were lighthearted moments, too.
The MWAH! members sang to students in the crowd individually and collectively. Three of the male troupe members playfully fought over student Emily Brockman through 'We Belong Together' by Ritchie Valens.
Six other students were selected from the crowd by school social worker Stacy Brannan as school heroes. Once the six students were positioned in front of the audience, troupe members sang Enrique Iglesias' 'Hero' to them.
All of the troupe members are full-time students in high school, middle school or junior high school. Because of this, the number of their performances is limited.
Their current schedule includes performances at St. Matthew Catholic School in Champaign, Galesburg High School in Galesburg, Glenwood High School Operation Snowball in Chatham, Homewood-Flossmoor High School Operation Snowball in Frankfort, and several other locations.