A courtroom drama
in Alberta classrooms
One
of the most effective ways of teaching children is by grabbing their interest
and getting them really involved in the topic - in enters the Youth Justice
Theatre (YJT) project.
Impressive. Effective. Amazing. These are just a few buzzwords being repeated about the troupe of student actors currently performing in schools and community venues across the province in an effort to help teach students about the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA).
"The challenge of reaching kids with information about the law and justice issues is overcome by this interactive, audience-participation based, live theatre initiative," said Kim Pasula, Public Legal Education Network of Alberta (PLENA) Network CEO and YJT Executive Producer.
With a cast of over a dozen characters including a judge, prosecutor, defense lawyer, accused, victim, police officer, and witnesses, a serious incident of bullying is effectively brought to life in the classroom. The playwright, Justin Flunder, and the actors draw in their audience through heated dialogues and actions. The play is told in the context of the new YCJA and provides important information about the Act that young people should know.
"Justin
Flunder and his troupe of student actors have created a quality production that
has exceeded all expectations," said Pat Smith, PLENA's Director of Communication
and Network Development. "Live theatre, done their way, will allow young children
to connect with the law and better understand bullying behaviour and its consequences."
The primary target for the educational play is Grade 5 and 6 students, and it has also played to adult crowds of standing room only. The Youth Justice Theatre is an initiative of PLENA's Kids & Crime Youth Justice Renewal Initiative and was made possible through the support of Justice Canada and the Alberta Law Foundation.
The play was featured at PLENA's Connecting the Dots Forum reception on March 11, 2004 at the Capri Convention Centre in Red Deer.
For more information please contact Maureen MacFarlane maureen@plena.org, or at (403) 875-3730.
