Last year, when Gainesville Middle School Principal Sally MacLean received feedback from her graduating eighth grade students, one particular comment stood out.
“They teach us that we can become anything.”
VISION OF AN ARTS SCHOOL
Before Gainesville Middle School opened its doors in 2006, MacLean told a hiring committee of Prince William School administrators that it was her intention to make Gainesville Middle an art school, because she believes the arts would open children’s eyes to the many possibilities in life.
“We want our kids to leave here knowing the opportunities,” MacLean said. “Since we opened, we’ve had drama, creative writing and journalism. We were the first (middle) school to have those unique classes.”
MacLean felt that by exposing all students to a variety of enriching electives, it would simply make learning fun.
“It’s that spoonful of sugar. What we are really doing in the end is supporting the English program.” MacLean said.
She saw drama classes as an important avenue to teach children imagination, confidence and public speaking.
“What we want is for children, especially middle school children, to have the opportunity to gain confidence, to experience and to learn to present themselves in public as a confident person,” MacLean said.
DRAMA DEPARTMENT BUILDS CHARACTER
Six years later, and her school had built a reputation for having a highly successful drama department, one that prepares students for high school and professional theater.
Barbara White has taught drama at Gainesville Middle from the beginning. Besides teaching the encore classes, she stays late nearly every day preparing children for the various plays they produce throughout the year.
For White, there is no place she’d rather be.
“When you do something that’s your passion, it’s not work, it’s fun. I’m happiest when I’m teaching these kids,” White said.
Some of her students feel the same and have already begun preparing to compete in the Virginia Theatre Association state-level middle school competition with their production of “Four Little Words.”
Once school starts, White will also audition children for their winter play, “Miracle on 34th Street,” and her most dedicated seventh and eighth grade students will prepare for both performances as well as a musical in the spring.
“You have to be totally committed for both plays,” said White, “That’s what they live and breathe. It’s a big commitment.”
Though students typically come to middle school without prior theater experience, White’s encore class turns them on to the acting bug.
Sometimes otherwise shy children will blossom on the stage. It is one of the reasons MacLean is so insistent that everyone takes drama. Those who do not take to acting can still participate in directing, lighting and set design.
LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM
However, most of all White compliments her students for being risk-takers. She creates an atmosphere of mutual respect and encourages children feel free to reach within themselves, which she said makes the difference between an average and superior performance.
“These kids are sponges, they just take it all in,” said White.
Nor do they realize the sophistication of their craft. They regularly produce Shakespearean plays, and White refers to college level textbooks to plan her lessons, but her students just think of drama class as fun.
ACTORS CAN BE ANYONE THEY WANT TO BE
White and MacLean know they have something special at Gainesville Middle School.
When students perform in plays, they gain the confidence to speak publicly in their classes and interact more confidently with their peers. They understand story structure in the English classes and work cooperatively in class and in sports.
Most of all they move onto high school with passion, newly acquired skills and knowledge of a world of opportunity.
MacLean and White want to thank the teachers, parents and community members who volunteer their time to make their productions so successful year after year.
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