The cast from “Bridge to Terabithia” performed in a special show for elementary students on Thursday morning, October 20.
Students from Hanby and Emerson elementary schools gathered in the Westerville South High School auditorium on Thursday morning, October 20, to watch a special showing of Bridge to Terabithia, performed by South pupils. Theatre Director Matt Wolfe reached out to elementary schools with an opportunity to extend the meaning of this Newbery book into writing and creative projects for the children. The resulting works, created by the youngsters, lined the halls of South, to exhibit this cross grade/cross school connection. Seeing the live performance gave the elementary kids a rich opportunity to compare and contrast a book to a play, as well as to see a text come to life on stage. The high school students plan to visit elementary classrooms to share their experiences and answer questions. Fifth grade Hanby pupils will use the knowledge they gain to help with their November performance at the Westerville Public Library, which will be led by music teacher Mary Rebekah Fortman. For 5th graders, this experience met many English and Language Arts curriculum standards – reading, writing, and speaking skills – as well as standards for technology (typing Personal Terabithia essay writing), art (creating Personal Terabithia posters), and music (stage presence and performing).