Celebrate Drama! 2016 is around the corner and our partners at Routledge would like to share this fantastic article in defense of arts access for all youths. It’s about how participation in high school theatre/speech classes may have positively influenced adults after graduation – written by preservice theatre educators themselves!
Share, discuss and grow with SDEA and Routledge. Read HERE.
Abstract
This study sought first to determine in what ways participation in high school theatre/speech classes and/or related extracurricular activities may have positively influenced and affected adults after graduation, and secondly, it sought to identify and advocate the potentially beneficial and “lifelong” impacts that speech/theatre participation during adolescence can contribute to adulthood. A mixed-methods survey was purposively distributed to North American adults who participated in these activities; 234 responses were received and analyzed. The key assertion of this study is: Quality high school theatre and speech experiences can not only influence but even accelerate adolescent development and provide residual, positive, lifelong impacts throughout adulthood.
I had always been shy and unsure of myself; being in theatre gave me the opportunity to come out of my shell and interact with others who had the same interests. This also helped me pursue other things I might not have if I didn’t have the confidence I gained in theatre. (Female, Former Elementary Educator, Class of 1980)
Keywords: impact survey, lived experience, framework
Reference
Laura A. McCammon , Johnny Saldaña , Angela Hines & Matt Omasta (2012) Lifelong Impact: Adult Perceptions of Their High School Speech and/or Theatre Participation, Youth Theatre Journal, 26:1, 2-25, DOI: 10.1080/08929092.2012.678223