A Holiday Lesson in Generosity: Barr Students Thrilled by GISH's "Suzie Scrooge"
Thanks to the generous support from grants, students from Barr Middle School had an unforgettable opportunity to bring their English Language Arts lessons to life by attending a rehearsal performance of Grand Island Senior High's (GISH) production of "Suzie Scrooge," a modern take on the classic "A Christmas Carol." The trip, made possible by funding from the Clark W. Reese Memorial Endowed Fund and the Gloria and S.N. "Bud" Wolbach Student Kindness Grant, ensured that all 7th graders had the transportation needed to experience live theater and deepen their understanding of the play's timeless themes.
The visit, split across two performance times on Friday, December 12, was the culmination of a full week of festive and focused learning affectionately known by Barr staff and students as "Don’t Be A Scrooge Day" on Thursday, December 11. Students spent the day immersed in the world of Charles Dickens, with core classes featuring activities directly aligned with the tale: Math students solved a "Scrooge Riddle," Social Studies explored a Map of London, Science experimented with "fake snow" in their Phase Change Unit, and ELA analyzed the original text of A Christmas Carol. The entire school embraced the spirit, with students and teachers alike dressing up to represent the past, present, or future ghosts, or the "Warm-Hearted Transformation of Scrooge" with cozy, festive attire.
The main goal of the field trip was to meet the skill: "I can analyze how particular events and lines of dialogue develop the plot of a live theatre performance." Students were thrilled to move from text analysis to experiencing the story's nuances firsthand in a live setting.
“Seeing the play live after studying the book made the characters feel so much more real,” commented one 7th grader after the performance. Another noted that the ability to attend "Suzie Scrooge" provided a whole new level of excitement. The grants, specifically covering the essential transportation, the Barr Middle School Administration expressed this as a critical component to providing this powerful, real-world extension of the classroom.
This wonderful grant went beyond the classroom, tying together literature and the excitement of a live performance. It was a powerful demonstration of how the heartfelt support of our community can truly enhance the educational journey, creating a deeper, more meaningful love for the arts and the knowledge found in classic literature within our students.
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"Barr is so appreciative to the Foundation and their willingness to help all students create memories through experiences! Being able to compare and contrast literature mediums challenges the students to look below the surface and apply meaning to the themes and symbols they experienced watching a live performance."
- Jess McHargue, Barr Asst. Principal -
"Our students experienced an amazing opportunity when given the chance to extend their learning by attending a live performance of Suzie Scrooge by our own high school students! We creatively bring the play to life within our classrooms, but seeing stage directions and a parallel story come to life on stage was so impactful and purposeful. With all the distractions tugging at the attention of our students, I am grateful that students could experience the "fun" of reading in a very real way."
- Jessica Snoberger, Barr 7th Grade Language Arts Teacher -
"A fun new version of a Christmas Carol. It was an exciting opportunity. I good twist on something we had just learned background on. So grateful to the people that do this (contribute to the grants) so that kids can do things they usually don't get to."
- Tessa R., Barr 7th Grade Student -
"I loved how the play was a modern version of A Christmas Carol. It gave us the real life view of the directions we read about in the play."
- Mya B., Barr 7th Grade Student
Clark W. Reese
Clark W. Reese Memorial Endowed Fund
The family of Clark W. Reese has established this fund in his memory to enhance Fine Arts programs of the Grand Island Public Schools. Clark and his wife Karen enjoyed the musical and theatrical gifts of their son Ryan while he attended the Grand Island Public Schools. Clark was a dear friend of the students of Grand Island. He supported the schools of this community by serving as a "Band Dad," a "Stage Dad," and as a board member of the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation. He and Karen believe in giving students the gift of educational opportunity.
Gloria and S.N. "Bud" Wolbach
Gloria and S.N. "Bud" Wolbach Student Kindness Fund
The Gloria and S.N. "Bud" Wolbach Student Kindness Fund is a legacy of kindness from Grand Island's first "AOK Lady" Gloria Wolbach and her husband S.N. "Bud" Wolbach. Gloria and Bud spent their lives building the town of Grand Island into a 'community.' Their acts of kindness, big and small, are a source of pride for Grand Island. This fund is intended to encourage students to go forward against all odds, and give them hope and opportunity through grants that connect students to school, community, and success.
