TOWAMECIN– As the middle school activity buses pulled away from the main K-Pod entrance, 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th graders from Penndale, Pennbrook and Pennfield poured into North Penn High School for an exciting night of acting, learning, and fun. Friday, January 25^th, 2013 was the day these students have been waiting for: the Middle School Thespian Workshops.

Any middle school student interested in attending the workshops paid only five dollars, which entitled them to a guided tour of NPHS, three unique workshops, pizza and snacks, and to top it all off, a dance at the end the night.

Juli Wert, an eighth grade participant in Penndale Middle School’s spring production, Camp Rock, was full of excitement when she arrived at NPHS. She signed up for the acting techniques workshop, and loved every minute of it.

“The workshops were so much fun! They reinforced my decision to be a part of the Thespians when I come to the high school,” said Wert.

North Penn High School Thespian Troupe #5464 spent months planning this special evening for the middle school students, and their efforts and dedication paid off. The night was a huge success, and an exciting night that many won’t forget.

“The purpose behind the workshops is to give the middle school students a chance to experience what theatre is like at the high school and to get them involved,” states NPHS theatre teacher, Mrs. Andrea Roney. “We want to take away the scariness of the high school for them and make them feel welcome.”

The planning process for the workshops began in mid-December, after the Thespians returned from the Pennsylvania State Thespian Conference located at Central York High School. Troupe President, Ali Corr, under the guidance of Mrs. Roney, began the necessary preparations to ensure a successful evening.

Every workshop was led by a NPHS Thespian, and choosing which students would lead a workshop was a very selective process. “These workshops are based on the students’ interests and skills,” explains Mrs. Roney. “Anyone who was interested in teaching a workshop had to fill out an application. They had to list their strengths and weaknesses, explain the reasons why they wanted to teach and describe the idea for their workshop.”

Once the workshop teachers were selected, they then had to fill out a detailed lesson plan explaining what they plan to teach and what they will during their 30 minute workshop. The application process and lesson planning would ensure that the night would be filled with useful knowledge and techniques that the middle school students can use.

The evening would not have been successful without the dedicated high school students who volunteered to teach workshops, give tours, and plan the activities. Junior Kristina Stidham, who was a tour guide and food coordinator, was excited to be a part of the workshops.

“It’s great to see so many young kids interested in theatre and giving them the chance to learn from some incredibly talented students.”