Our theatre for youth program here
really hones in on three words
imagination, creativity, and innovation.
I feel like those three words equip
children for their future. Whether
they're dealing with something as dark
or as serious as death or divorce or
moving away, theatre really instills
confidence, empathy at different
perspectives and it helps them
understand that they are not alone in
this world, and they have a safe place
that they can problem solve. A lot of
what theatre is as problem solving.
As we crafted this major we had some
guidelines from our accrediting body and
there are certain things you have to
have, but there's also a great amount of
leeway and it was important for me that
they would have education classes that
they would have sociology classes that
they would understand child development
so they have all these things in their
degree plan. I've gone through a creative
drama course, I've gone through a
directing for theatre for youth course, I
have also done education classes. I've
been out in schools and I think this
major really equips us with practical
experience to be able to then go once
we've graduated and say hey I have this
experience under my belt let me show you
what I can do with these kids. I want to
pour into them. You can really help open
up a child through theatre and through
the exercises that we do in creative
drama with games and characterization
that can help a child to be more open
and confident about who they are.
Definitely playing games with kids a lot
of it is but we're teaching them to at
the same time and I think that that's
crucial that you implement play into
teaching what seems like playing to them
it's been later in life they'll be like
oh they taught me a lesson, so yes from
the outside it does look like
but from a very basic foundation it's
teaching. I love watching my students
discover what it's like to play again.
One of the most exciting moments in my
life as a teacher is when i see that aha
moment, and they're like this is what I
have to do, I have found it. This course
really inspired a love of a different
type of theatre I never even knew
existed. I came in to a theatre program
not knowing that I was going to teach
theatre it lets me integrate my passion
for teaching with my passion for the art
form that i love so much. I really want
to use this major to minister to kids
and to find ways that theatre can help
open them up to talents that God has
given them. When you take the Christian
mission of Samford and you allow
students to express their faith through
theatre I think theatre for youth is the
natural outcome. It's where that idea
goes I take my faith I take my talent I
put those together and I want to get out
in the community. We're investing in our
future by investing in this program
because our kids will one day be solving
problems that we don't exactly know the
answer to you today and if they lack the
creativity and imagination because we
failed to teach them that then our
problems will never be solved. It's
something that's going to help future
actors it's something that's going to
help future ministers it's going to help
future lawyers future doctors future
military future teachers so that's what
we're really getting involved in we're
getting involved in lives that are going
to go all different kinds of places. I am
so excited to be on this journey because
I can't wait to see what what Samford
students do in the world. We like to say
here at Samford School of the Arts that
we are preparing today's artists to
shape tomorrow's world and I feel like
this major is stationed so well to be
do that. Not only is this university
preparing its theater for youth students
to shape tomorrow's world, but we as
teachers going into these schools and
doing what we do later in our lives are
taking the people of tomorrow to shape
their world.
you