-Donna DeFalco

AURORA -- A fight broke out before the start of the sixth-grade assembly Monday at Granger Middle School. Two staff members pulled apart two young men who hurled racial epithets and threatened to kill each other.
On any other day, the pair probably would have been suspended for fighting -- but these two young men were part of the performance troupe Messages Which Are Hopeful, or MWAH.
Taking center stage in the gym to talk about the situation was Granger sixth-grader Christopher Allison, 12, who is the youngest member of the troupe.

"Can you imagine if everyone could get along?" he asked the audience. "I can only imagine how innocent victims of hate must feel and how much better our country and world would be if everyone was more tolerant and accepting."
Allison could have been talking about himself. He has been the victim of a group of bullies since fourth grade, who have tormented him about his passion for dance.
Ray Moffitt, executive producer of MWAH, said most of the pieces performed by the group are based on true stories.
The piece that featured a situation similar to what Allison has faced was called "Raise Me Up," based on a song by popular singer Josh Groban.
In the skit, troupe member Sam Pealstrom, 13, a student at Washington Middle School in Aurora, walked to the center of the stage with his head buried in his hands, obviously upset. Another teen, Joshua Welton, 14, an eighth-grader at Waldo Middle School in Aurora, offered words of encouragement.
"Believe in yourself," Welton said. "Take charge of yourself. You can do it. You can stand on mountains and you can walk on stormy seas. You can. And you will."
Pealstrom, who was left sitting alone, hears hateful words over the loudspeaker and tries to cover his ears against the onslaught. The situations included choosing friends on the basis of appearance or race alone, stealing, drugs and being a dancer.
"You're a ballet dancer right? Ballet dancer?" intoned a voice offstage, piling on a series of abusive epithets.
Moffitt said by involving Allison in the skit, the troupe is trying to empower him to stand up to the boys who have been tormenting him.
Allison's parents, Una and Michael Allison, also attended the performance.
Una Allison said that since her son joined the troupe two years ago, he has matured and grown immeasurably.
"It's gives him the courage to turn his back (on the bullies) and not let it get to him," he said. "He has the troupe and home."
At the end of the hour-long performance, each of the performers took a bow. Allison received the loudest applause.
As he looked out into the audience, he said he saw some frowns and some smiles.
He even had the courage to look at a tormenter, who turned away.
Rebecca Levi, president of Granger's parent-teacher-student association, said the performance had a very strong message for kids.
"What's nice, it's kids telling kids," she said. " ... I think it makes more of an impact."