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Traveling performing team equips Illini Central students with the power to change [MARCH 11, 2000] This week thirty students at Illini Central Middle School had a life changing experience. These students ranging from sixth through eighth grade attended a two-day, intensive, role-play workshop with the founders of Cornerstone Productions, Laura Clark-Hansen and Paul Hansen. The students were trained in the basics of creating a character, improvising scenes and learning how to stage them.
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But this wasn’t an ordinary class in the fundamentals
of theater. The students were proactive as they explored
difficult topics that they face everyday.
Smoking, drugs, alcohol, violence, divorce,
depression, peer cruelty and stereotypes, eating disorder
and body image and anger management were at the top of the
list. The mission of Cornerstone Productions is to empower students of all ages “by putting into their hands a powerful tool to use for social change.”
Under the Hansens' direction these students learned how
to become an influence. On the first day, Mrs. Hansen explains, “they (the
students) teach from their hearts”—learning how to
explore a subject through feelings.
“On day two,” she continued, “they teach from
their head to their hearts”—learning all of the
factual information.
For example, Mrs. Hansen explained “for the
students to know how to express what effects alcohol has
on the people around them, they have to understand their
feelings.” Then,
they can learn the facts and statistics about alcohol.
“Prevention education works when kids learn new
information.”
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And these students are learning volumes. Eighth
grader Megan Hudgins exclaims, "I thought that the
training was a great experience. It really helped us look
at what was going on around us and it taught us how to
help other kids deal with problems like drugs, alcohol and
divorce.” Over the two event-filled days, the Hansens equipped the students with the skills they need to become an independent theatrical troupe. These kids don’t have to worry about the stresses of acting because improvisational acting does not require complicated scripts or fancy costumes. Andrew Coulter who is a member of the Illini Central troupe said, "I thought it (acting) would be kind of embarrassing at first, but I also thought it might be fun, so I joined and in the end, I had a great time." The topics the Illini Central Middle School students will
eventually present to groups around the county include
eating disorder, popularity, divorce, cliques and teasing,
and drinking and its consequences. To get their acting skills polished the students
participated in theatrical exercises, which included mime
and short skits where they literally became their parts. The
students took an in-depth look at bullying, smoking,
alcohol and its effect on the organs, and head lice.
Throughout the “improv,” students comically
“became” head lice attaching themselves with curled
fingers to the head of the child with the lice.
Or they “became” a withered organ of an
alcoholic, showing the impact alcohol has on the body. “This experience brought students from different
backgrounds together—a
cross section of kids, high risk, high potential,
not just the trophy kids,” Mrs. Hansen said
passionately. When asked why she likes her job Mrs. Hansen said
emphatically, “because it’s the right thing to do. It
changes kids’ lives.” To
learn more about Cornerstone Productions log on to their website. Editor’s Note: You
can read part two of this feature with Cornerstone
Productions on Tuesday, March 14, 2000.
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[MARCH 9, 2000] The brown fruit of the sweet gum tree is creating problems for local homeowners. The sweet gum tree is a tall, stately tree that grows throughout most of the United States, with Central Illinois being at the northernmost perimeter of its region. Its fruit is a brownish spiny ball that remains on the tree throughout the winter. This fruit plugs up drains, continuously litters yards and is a big nuisance, says Don Osborne, street superintendent of Lincoln. “The city’s policy has been not to remove trees unless they are dead, diseased, dying or dangerous,” he continued.
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There is no chemical control currently labeled in Illinois for preventing the formation of sweet gum balls. There are a few compounds available that will cause some abortion but it is costly, hard to apply and again not registered for use in Illinois. For those residents who are adamant about removing their sweet gum tree, there may be a remedy. An Illinois group of old-house enthusiasts says the only control to prevent sweet gum balls from forming is a chain saw used at ground level. The city of Lincoln may now agree. Osborne mentioned, "We don’t want to get to the point where residents are just removing trees." But due to the number of complaints received from residents with sweet gum trees on their property, the city’s forestry committee has made a recommendation to the city council to try to alleviate this problem for residents.
Osborne said, "If the recommendation is approved, residents would have to first obtain a free permit from city hall and agree to bear the full cost for the tree removal. They would also have to pledge to replant a tree in the same or surrounding area. The exception to replanting would be if the tree would have a negative impact, such as on utilities, blocking the view at an intersection or some other legitimate reason for not replanting. The city of Lincoln has a list of prohibited and acceptable trees that can be used to replenish the trees that may be cut down. Tree replacements can be picked from this list such as oaks, several varieties of maples and others."
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The sweet gum tree produces a gummy compound called stroax that is used in making perfumes, adhesives and salves. Sweet gum wood is fairly hard and heavy. It is often used to make veneer, cabinets, boats, toys, boxes, fuel and other products. The leaves are star-shaped, with a pleasant fragrance when crushed. The bark is deeply furrowed into narrow scaly ridges; hence another common name, the alligator tree. The sweet gum tree is a common broadleaf tree, a good shade tree, and amongst the most brilliant in autumn. Native Americans and early pioneers chewed the hardened clumps of sap that exuded from the bark of the tree when cut. They used it for medicinal purposes, as chewing gum and with some tree varieties as a breath freshener.
Local lore says a Lincoln naturalist who obtained the trees as seedlings brought the sweet gum trees to Lincoln in the early to late 1960s. He then gave them to the city of Lincoln to plant.
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[MARCH
10, 2000]
Positive Actions
Relating to Youth, or P.A.R.T.Y., brought seventh
graders from all over Logan County to the campus of
Lincoln Christian College on Friday, March 10.
They attended 10 workshops presented by high
school students from Mount Pulaski, Hartsburg-Emden and
Lincoln Community High School.
These students used skits and drama to show the
seventh graders what to expect in high school, exploring
such issues as dating and friendship, laws that impact
young people, violence in schools and what it’s like
driving after you’ve been drinking.
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Motivational speaker Ben Glenn gave a presentation on setting goals and avoiding drug use, including a chalk drawing and light show. Parents, teachers, Lincoln Christian College staff members, the Logan County Health Department, the Lincoln Police Department, the University of Illinois Extension Service and other community agencies assisted with the program.
The following workshops were scheduled:
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The Logan County Health Department sponsors P.A.R.T.Y. Funding is made available by T.O.U.C.H. (Teaching Others Using Chemicals Hurts), through donations from United Way, Rotary, Kiwanis and other supporting individuals. P.A.R.T.Y. received special help or donations from Americorps, Keith Backes, Rachelle Bartnick, Joann Benz, Jeff Colleen, Debby Cook, Kathleen Cravatta, Kevin Crawford, Jennifer Dowling, Julie Dowling, Paul Estes, Judy Horn, Beth Koehler, Dean Langdon, Rich Montcalm, Tonya Payne, Jeaneen Ray, Shawn Sillings, Kristi Simpson, Jessica Stiffler, Greg Taylor, Freddy Tedrick, Bonnie Wachter, Jim Waters, Bill Workman, YMCA, Eric Zastrow, Hartsburg-Emden High School students, Lincoln Christian College, Lincoln Community High School students, Lincoln Junior High School students, Mount Pulaski FFA, Mount Pulaski High School students and the Operation Snowball chapter.
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High-ropes challenge course—a peak experience [MARCH
8, 2000] The
Lincoln Area YMCA’s Gateway program is a very
“uplifting” experience for youth ages 12 to 15. In
fact, some lucky youngsters will be lifted nearly 30 feet
in the air at the Y’s high-ropes challenge course
located behind the Y office at 319 West Kickapoo.
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Cliffs ’n Cables, a Chicago-based company that specializes in outdoor adventure courses, finished constructing Lincoln’s ropes course in February. The YMCA’s new structure includes a high-ropes course (suspended between trees and poles 30 feet in the air), a low-ropes course (just a few feet off the ground), and a team rescue course (you would have to see it). The Y’s ropes courses are constructed of wood, cables and rope. The high-ropes course includes a cargo net, Burma bridge, bottomless Burma bridge, balance beam, vine walk and a zip line. Sounds like the perfect adventure for any rambunctious early adolescent.
What is the purpose of the YMCA’s challenge courses? According to Angie Peters, executive director of the Lincoln Area YMCA, challenge courses "teach teamwork and enhance a young person’s self-confidence." As would be expected in any YMCA program, participants are carefully trained and supervised. "The challenge courses are very exciting, but also very safe," explains Peters. The equipment is tested and certified before we use it. The staff is thoroughly trained. The kids are always connected to safety lines. At all times, the participants are part of carefully designed instructional activities that teach important lessons. This isn’t just a recreational experience."
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The first group of Gateway youngsters to ascend the trees will be eighth graders from Lincoln Junior High School. These students are completing the Prudential Youth Leadership Institute training, which they received from YMCA staff members, Ron Sillings and Sarah Farris. The nationally validated program teaches communication, leadership, and community service. A reward for completion of the program (including a successful community service project) will be an invitation to participate in the challenge courses training. "Kids in Lincoln are getting the advantage of training that corporations spend a lot of money on to provide their executives," says Sillings. "I’m talking about both the Prudential Youth Leadership Institute and the challenge courses. The Prudential program is based on a corporate training model, with an added community service dimension. Ropes courses are very common training experiences for executives." In the months to come, the Lincoln Area YMCA will open its challenge course training to church, corporate, school, club and family groups. The Gateway project will expand to serve other groups of 12 to 15 year olds. Gateway has been generously supported by two local and anonymous contributors.
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