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GEAR
UP-dates!
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Update: The Skagit Monologue Project Shines on
Stage!
by Maureen Nelson
 As
we noted in February’s E-news, this year saw the second run of ‘The
Monologue Project’. During this process 8th grade
students write monologues about their lives, experiences, hopes,
dreams and more. Then, college acting students rehearse and create a
performance of the monologues. Last year was such a hit that we
received funding from GEAR UP to run the project this year in the
Skagit and Yakima valleys
 February 28th was the amazing
private performance at Skagit Valley College’s Phillip Tarro Theatre
where all the 8th grade writers were able to see theirs
and other students words come to life on stage. The 8th
graders spent half their school day at the college where they saw
presentations from college administrators, an interactive
demonstration by an SVC theatre professor, ate lunch on campus and
witnessed the performance. Another powerful component of this day
was the talkback between the actors, writers and school staff in the
audience. Lights came up on the whole room and questions were asked
back and forth, stories were shared, and much laughter was had.
Following that the energy in the room grew as writers were invited
up on stage to meet the actors who performed their pieces.
Public performances for families, friends and
community members followed soon after on the 19th of
March at Shoreline Community College and on the 20th and
21st at Skagit Valley College. During these events, a
group of college actors reprised their monologue performances as
well as being joined by several 8th graders performing
new monologues. Many of these young people were on stage for the
very first time and so brave not only for that, but exposing their
own stories on stage.
 “I thought it was a great experience for
the college students because we return to that difficult time in our
life which helps us to reconnect to our fellow students. I think
its great for the eighth graders because they… learn how connected
they are with their fellow classmates and how their actions affect
others.”
- SCC Actor
Many thanks go out to Jim Palmer, Molly
Westring, Geri Cleve and Jeanie Moen, our partners in the Skagit
Middle Schools, for all their work on this project. Thanks, as well
to Drue Robinson, Andy Friedlander, Pearl Kline, Jamie Kearns and
Tony Doupe from the colleges. Look out for upcoming news on The
Monologue Project this Spring in the Yakima Valley!
Family Day in Yakima Valley
by Devon Little
 Sunnyside, Yakima Valley: Sierra Vista
Middle School hosted “Family Day” for the families of students
attending Harrison and Sierra Vista Middle Schools, and invited the
Power of Hope to offer an experiential learning component. In the
morning, the Power of Hope offered a bilingual, interactive session
aimed at building positive relationships and inspiring connection
between the families in
 attendance. Participants grinned their
morning shyness away, and laughed with both family and community
members. After lunch, the Power of Hope team spent time with the
students (and even some younger brothers and sisters for a moment!),
facilitating experiential games and art forms. The purpose of this
session was to allow the youth to reflect meaningfully about their
ideas, gifts and goals. The students hung their artwork, which
showed their dreams and action plans, on the wall; they welcomed
their parents back into the room with a song of gratitude, and their
parents were able to walk down the “gallery” to see the ideas and
goals of the young people there. At “Family Day,” all learned about
higher education and vocational training after high school,
considered the opportunities and challenges that young people must
navigate along the way, and, with the Power of Hope, practiced the
personal and visionary skills to help them get where they want to
go!
Activate! a new GEAR UP
assembly program
by Devon Little
“I wish my whole school went to Power of Hope!”
I have heard this many times at Power of Hope programs. Agreed:
working with all the members of a community, within their
shared institution, is powerful! Will an entire grade do? The Power
of Hope offered a three-hour, interactive program to the eighth
graders of Zillah Middle School, in Zillah, Washington (the Yakima
Valley). Our goals were for students to explore what it is like to
be in the Zillah 8th grade; to build supportive relationships and a
positive culture within the 8th grade; to have students vocalize
their thoughts; and of course, to have fun! Power of Hope
co-founder, Peggy Taylor, and program manager, Kat Vellos,
co-facilitated the workshop. In small groups, we played games,
learned names, and got more comfortable sharing creativity. In four
teams, we worked together to improve on the hula hoop challenge. As
a whole group, we talked about how it feels to share our real
thoughts and feelings, and then the students practiced doing exactly
that by sharing publicly about the best parts and the challenges of
being an 8th grader at their school. Finally, the
students wrote about their ideal school community, and one step they
would take to make that hope a reality. Each students’ pledge is now
displayed colorfully as the leaves of an artistic tree in the Gear
Up room!
The Skagit Radio Project
by Rebecca White
The Radio Project wrapped up its first
12-week-cycle with an evening program for the families of all youth
involved thus far. The Power of Hope and Carlos Bejar from KSVR
Radio Station hosted the evening, which included dinner and a tour
of the KSVR Radio Station. Families were also able to hear back from
the youth about their impressions of the Radio Project. One youth in
particular was enthusiastic about having learned skills such as
writing and recording PSAs. Parents filled out evaluation forms
during the event and were quite supportive in their comments! One
parent wrote that “I think the Radio [Project] is very important for
my son and his development in the community….” Another parent
commented that “[my daughter] was grinning from ear to ear when she
heard her voice on the PSA.J”
There is also good news for the Radio Project!
We have received funding to be able to continue with a second cycle
of the project, for another 8 weeks. Kudos to everyone involved in
making this happen!
Two Valleys – One Vision GEAR UP is an
exciting program funded by the U.S. Department of Education and
administered by the University of Washington. It is a partnership
with the Yakama Tribal School, schools in Mabton, Mt. Adams,
Granger, Union Gap, Goldendale, East Valley, Toppenish, Grandview,
Wapato, Sunnyside, the Mt. Vernon and Burlington-Edison School
Districts and 11 other community partners including The Power of
Hope! For more info, visit GEAR UP Two Valleys One
Vision
here on the web. |
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