Coverage by The Observer newspaper of MWAH! presentation for intermediate, middle, and high school students at Central High School in DeWitt, Iowa
(DeWitt, Iowa)
Posted February 11, 2014 by the Observer of DeWitt, Iowa.
Getting their groove on. Central Community High and Middle School students join members of the MWAH! performing arts troupe on stage Monday morning at the Central Performing Arts Center. The dance, which celebrates having a positive self–image and treating others with kindness, wrapped up the program that focused on a number of issues plaguing young people including suicide, depression, bullying and substance abuse.
Photo by Kate Howes.
by Observer Local Staff Writer: Kate Howes.
Prejudice, bullying, suicide, depression, self-mutilation and substance, physical and emotional abuse are just a few of the topics that were covered Monday morning by the performing arts troupe "MWAH!" at the Central Performing Arts Center (CPAC).
They are also issues very much a part of every day life for many Central students.
"I can relate to every single thing they talked about," says Central Community High School freshman Kylee Shaw. "I've seen these things impacting kids at every school I've been to, and I've been to three."
"I've been to four different schools and I agree, you see kids dealing with all of these things," adds Central Middle School eighth-grader Chyenne Clark. "These problems are everywhere."
MWAH! stands for "Messages Which Are Hopeful," and consists of young artists, ages 9-17, from around Illinois. The troupe is based out of Chicago.
The group uses a variety of music and performs skits and hip-hop dances in an effort to get students' attention and teach them how to handle some of life's more perplexing issues.
What the troupe strives to do most is offer teens messages of hope and to reassure them, everyone faces the same obstacles in life - how they deal with them is what matters most.
Life is all about choices, notes MWAH! member Landon, and what it all comes down to is how we treat each other.
The group opened the program, which was attended by students in grades 6-9, by singing John Lennon's "Imagine."
The troupe asked audience members to try to imagine a world without school shootings, violent protests and terrorist attacks.
Unfortunately, in this day and age, that seems almost impossible.
"The world John Lennon imagined isn't here yet," says MWAH! member Levi. "It's not even close. But we're still looking forward to a day when the world really will live as one."
Letting go of the pain
When it comes to bullying, words can be just as physically painful as being pushed or shoved.
Sometimes, people simply can't live with the pain.
One of the troupe members brought out a large picture of a smiling 10-year-old girl named Ashlyn Conner from Illinois.
Almost three years ago, after being bullied at school and called "fat," Ashlyn hanged herself in her bedroom closet.
The next picture brought onto the stage was of 12-year-old Joshua Wilson of Geneseo, Ill.
Joshua loved airplanes, had lots of friends and was active in extracurricular activities including baseball and Tae Kwon Do.
But in July 2013, he took his own life and to this day, no one knows why.
Joshua's mom, Jennifer Higgins, was at the CPAC and stood on stage and pleaded with students to talk to someone if they're feeling lost or hurt.
She asked them to not do what Joshua did and keep feelings bottled up inside until life doesn't feel worth living anymore.
"When Joshua was in fourth-grade, his dad and I got divorced," Higgins says. "When he was in fifth-grade, he was bullied. But in sixth-grade, he perked up and for the first time ever, he said he liked school. He was back to his happy self."
Then came that fateful summer day when Joshua killed himself, leaving his parents and loved ones wondering what went wrong.
"We don't know why," Higgins shares. "We're left here wondering why. I'm asking you as a mom who's lost her kid, please talk to someone. We're not meant to go through this life alone. There are lots of adults out there who want to help you. People will love you and help you. Don't be like my son. Asking for help is a sign of strength."
MWAH! performers echoed her message, urging students to speak up.
After all, sometimes silence can be a matter of life and death.
"Words can cut deep, but if you do the right thing and speak up, all that pain will go away," Levi says.
Seventh-grader Jaedon Evans says the program and all the issues that were addressed had a tremendous impact on her.
Eighth-grader Ian Kuehl describes the MWAH! performance as "really cool," and - like so many of his fellow students - can identify with many of the topics that were discussed, one of which hit really close to home.
"Listening to the story of Joshua's suicide was pretty powerful," he relates. "When I was in fourth-grade, my parents also got divorced. The program just makes me want to be a better person and be better to people overall."
