By Rob Glidden Staff Writer The music club at Derynoski Elementary School tackled the subject of bullying with song and dance, as an ensemble of about 60 kids performed the musical “Bullies Anonymous.” The club has been working on the performance for months and presented two shows last week, one in the afternoon for their fellow students and another for parents and community members in the evening. The three advisors for the club felt that “Bullies Anonymous,” written by Ron Fink and John Heath, was ideal for educating elementary school kids about the details of bullying. “We felt like this took a serious topic and added an element of fun and that would engage the kids,” said guidance counselor Stephanie Parsons, who served as the show’s music director and played the piano during the performance. The half-hour musical is almost fully driven by the songs, with only brief snippets of dialogue between each number. The teachers liked this because it taught the students the value of ensemble work. “The chorus is really the star, even if not everyone in it has a speaking part,” said Kathy Jardine, a social worker who was the show’s stage manager. The premise of the [...]
By Rob Glidden Staff Writer The music club at Derynoski Elementary School tackled the subject of bullying with song and dance, as an ensemble of about 60 kids performed the musical “Bullies Anonymous.” The club has been working on the performance for months and presented two shows last week, one in the afternoon for their fellow students and another for parents and community members in the evening. The three advisors for the club felt that “Bullies Anonymous,” written by Ron Fink and John Heath, was ideal for educating elementary school kids about the details of bullying. “We felt like this took a serious topic and added an element of fun and that would engage the kids,” said guidance counselor Stephanie Parsons, who served as the show’s music director and played the piano during the performance. The half-hour musical is almost fully driven by the songs, with only brief snippets of dialogue between each number. The teachers liked this because it taught the students the value of ensemble work. “The chorus is really the star, even if not everyone in it has a speaking part,” said Kathy Jardine, a social worker who was the show’s stage manager. The premise of the [...]
