ROBIN BOOKER/BRANDON SUN
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Kory Mclean stands with his Grade 8 class at Linden Lanes School after the students performed a play that described the creation of the Right to Play movement.
Laughter and play, including hula hooping, skipping, dancing, skateboarding and juggling concluded a student performance about a serious subject at Linden Lanes School on Friday.
Kory Mclean’s language art class was studying some of the situations children in different parts of the world face, when they decided they didn’t just want to learn about the problems — they wanted to help.
The Grade 8 class performed the play yesterday afternoon in order to raise money and awareness for the Right to Play, a global organization that uses the power of play to educate and empower children facing adversity.
Don Chuffy, a teacher/librarian and middle years literacy support worker, helped the children write, promote, direct and produce the play, which examined some of the serious realities children in other parts of the world face, such as war and poverty.
"The more varied the opportunities that you give kids to learn and to share what they learned, the more likely it is that you will get different kids stepping up to the plate," Chuffy said.
Owen Chamber, who performed in the play, learned "lots about the Right to Play organization and some facts about the world" through helping in the production.
"It was more about getting the information across than just showing that kids can play. We were trying to inform people about what some of the rest of the world is like, and what the Right to Play is doing about it," Chamber said
Colleen Robertson, who also performed in the play, believes that the right to play is a human right.
"I learned that I’m OK at being on stage and I learned a lot about people in different countries," said Robertson.
Reece Pennell was in the school band that played in the show. She said that there are many lessons that can be learned through playing.
"When you play you have to get used to other people in the group and you have to communicate properly in order to understand people around you," Pennell said.
The proceeds raised will be given to Right to Play and used to promote play and sport in impoverished countries.
» rbooker@brandonsun.com
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition June 16, 2012
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