Education doesn’t end when the final school bell rings. Whether you’re seven or seventy, there’s always something new to learn. This belief is deeply rooted in the philosophy of RETLife, an initiative in the River East Transcona School Division providing community-based learning.
On a Tuesday evening at Chief Peguis Middle School, laughter fills the auditorium as instructor Rachel Smith leads a warm-up game. Smith said these activities, though simple, help boost confidence and relationships.
“Some of the skills that we work on are learning how to be confident in performing in front of a crowd, which can translate to even later in life doing public speaking,” explained Smith. ” We also do exercises that focus on teamwork. We use our imaginations, and they develop different characters. And so they can explore different aspects of their artistic development.”
The after-school drama programs include two groups, Playful Performance (ages 7–9) and Drama Explorers (ages 10–12).
For these young actors, that spirit of exploration is precisely what makes the class so special. Brennan, one of the Drama Explorers, said he’s very excited to participate. “To play the games, and I just like being very dramatic.”
Through those games, he’s learned the structure of the stage. “Front stage, backstage, and side stage.” Brennan was incredibly energetic during the entire class. When asked what he was most excited about, he replied. “To be dramatic!”
For Laikyn, it’s about both learning and friendship. “I like playing games and getting to know everyone,” she said. “I want to play more games and learn more about each other.”
Creativity runs wild in these sessions. Olive, along with her team, created a scene about a field trip to outer space. “We had no helmets, so we suffocated, and then an alien came and dragged us to its home!” Between laughter, she added, “I really like acting. It’s really fun.” Another student, Leo, said he enjoys doing different voices and characters. “Please, sir, can I have some more?”
Many of these students are building friendships and enjoying the opportunity to explore their creativity. However, some, like Zosia, are already thinking ahead. “I really like watching reality shows and shows. Like with my mom. Cause I might want to be an actor when I grow up,” luckily for her, there’s still plenty of time being a kid, pulling out a spot-on impression of the alien lifeform Stitch. “Oh, Hi… I’m Stitch. Hehehe.”
Others, like Willow and Anna, love the creativity that comes from working together. “My favourite part was getting to make up a scene on the spot. It was really fun,” said Willow, who played a mummy in one of the group’s improvised performances. Anna added, “We learned how to be bigger and exaggerate more so people in the back of the stage can see you. It was really fun.”
Behind programs like Playful Performance and Drama Explorers is the philosophy that learning is lifelong and community is key. RETLife Program Coordinator Naomi Kruse said that offering programs like these has a positive impact on the community. “We’ve got all of our community members suddenly having a lot of convenience in programming that’s available for them. That’s very close to home, and that’s really important to a lot of the community.”
She added that it’s also a chance for people to try something they may never have had before.
“It’s community learning. Learning is lifelong, and it’s all the time. So, having programming available after school demonstrates that, first of all, we are always learning. But it’s an opportunity for kids who might want, or have a passion or interest in, something they can do a bit more of.”
For these budding actors, that connection is already taking shape. Between the giggles, games, and grand gestures, they’re discovering how to express themselves, support one another, and see the world through someone else’s eyes.
According to Smith, it’s never too late, or too soon, to learn something new. “You’re never too young to start, and you’re never too old to start that either.”
– Ryan Funk, U Multicultural
