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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-08-17, Page 11Local WOW teaches job, life skills Ten Seaforth-area youths are learning valuable job skills this summer in a program that encour- ages students to stay in school. Work Orientation Workshops (WOW) is part of the Federal Government's and the Human Resources Development Goderich Office (formally the Canada Employment Centre) Stay in School Initiative. Sponsored locally by the Huron County Board of Education, the WOW program intends to improve students' self-confidence in employment and promote a positive utlook toward remaining in school. This is the seventh successful ear the Huron County Board of ducation has sponsored the WOW program. The programs are coordinated out of the Seaforth, Wingham, Goderich, Clinton and Goderich high schools. This is the ixth year Seaforth District High chool has had a WOW program. The WOW program is made up f two phases: a workshop compo- nent, and a job placement experi- ence. During the 15 days of work- shops, the emphasis is placed on life skills, communication skills, and helping students prepare for future employment (for example, resume writing and job search tech- niques). Another main goal of the work- shops, as well as the work experi- ence, is to help the participants develop positive self-concepts. Workshop activities include group discussions, guest speakers, field trips, as well as recreational and social activities. Some workshops are devoted to tackling issues such as substance abuse, peer pressure, sexual assault and financial man- agement. The work experience phase of the program consists of placing the 10 participants in an area of employ- ment that is of interest to them. The work placement aspect of the pro- gram focuses on the demands, challenges and rewards that an employee would face in the labour DAVID SCOTT PHOTO WOW! - Members of the 1994 WOW (Worts Orientation Work- shop) perform some acrobatics at Seaforth District High School recently. This is the sixth year the WOW program has been in Seaforth. Front row left: Shawn Costello, Keri Lacroix, Julie Shewan, Anyta Pickett, Coordinator Lisa Porter. Back row: Jen Kaufman. Absent from photo: Luke Harris, Tim McNaughton, Darcy Wood, Joe Shanklin, Jeremy McNichol. market. The WOW program con- sists of 15 days of workshop activ- ities and 20 days of work experi- ence. Students attend their work placements four days a week and meet at their high school on Wednesdays for workshops. Coordinators of the WOW pro- grams are full-time post -secondary school students who are interested in pursuing a career working with the public. Lisa Porter is coordinator of the Seaforth WOW program. With assistance from SDHS staff and the START Pro- gram Coordinator Val Millson, Lisa is responsible for the selection of the program's 10 participants. Lisa's other responsibilities include the coordination of workshop activ- ities, the placement of participants and the weekly monitoring and support of students at their work placements. Students have been enjoying their WOW experience and have grown thanks to the contribution of the following: John Gillesbie; Val Millson; Guest Speakers - Kathleen Babcock, Rob Straby, Leila Beier, Jane Muegge, Ben Worsell; Seaforth High School staff members and custodians; employers - Seaforth Public Works Department, Stedman's Department Store, Maplewood Manor, Seaforth Dis- trict Community Centres, Canadian Tire, Seaforth Cooperative Children's Centre, Dave Schenck Auto Body, Seaforth Auto Body, Seaforth Recreation Department. This story was submitted by coordinators of WOW (Work Orientation Workshops). The pro- gram is in its sixth year in Seaforth. DAVID SCOTT PHOTO WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? - Four members of the Blyth Festival's Young Company glare at the audience in the production of Our Parents Made Us Do It, an alternative play that runs at the Garage Theatre from August 16-20 and features Renoe Devereaux and Mike Mullen of Seaforth. Parents BY DAVID SCOTT Expositor Staff 'made them do' moody play It's not your average theatre experience. The 1994 Blyth Festival Young Company's production of Our Parents Made Us Do It is an alternative play Huron County audiences might not be prepared for. The young cast of 17 are directed by Stephen Seabrook. The play features original music by Richard Feren. Seabrook and Feren both have extensive experience in alter- native theatre in Toronto. They belong to an alternative theatre company called "Excess of This." Both have worked with Buddies in Bad Times theatre company in Toronto which stages alternative productions. This stark play is basad on some- thing Seabrook and Feren did for Buddies in Bad Times that was entitled "Round Rotund Rumps." Incidentally, those three R's are the only spoken words in this play, aside from a bizarre introduction by the box office staff. As a member of the audience, watching this play isn't the most comfortable experience. There isn't a straight-line plot to follow, or really any plot. The play is based on the simple premise, What it is like to be stuck on stage? The set is basic - one table and four chairs. In the original three R's production, there was only a cast of five. So Seabrook and 'Feren divided the Young Company into three groups. Seabrook describes the play as a 'performance cartoon.' "It's expressionistically basal. It terms," said Feren, who composed an effective and moody score for the production. Staging this play at the darkened and cramped Blyth Garage Theatre definitely adds to the play's stark atmosphere. Blyth Festival's Artistic Director Janet Amos invited Seabrook to direct the Young Company for the 1994 season. What have the alternative theatre Toronto pair learned from working with the Blyth Young Company? "I've learned that they're as good as anyone else. They could be on stage at the St. Lawrence Centre," said Seabrook. The next project for Seabrook and Feren is a production at the former Toronto Workshop Theatre at 12 Alexander St. in Toronto. Feren will be writing the script and music for a production entitled "Each night as you sleep I destroy the world." He describes it as a 'scream play.' * * • What's it like to act in a play with no dialogue? Two young Seaforth actors arc learning first- hand in the Blyth Young Company's performance of Our Parents Made Us Do 1t, an alterna- tive play directed by Stephen Seabrook of Toronto. "It's different in every way from anything I've done before," said Renee Devereaux, who is studying art and theatre at an affiliated col- lege of Dalhousie University in Halifax. Devereaux is in her fourth year with the Blyth Young Com - n. has a lot to do with social interac-_4•(dcm't think something like this tions, how people combine with has been seen in Huron County. each other," said Seabrook. "Evay- People have the perception that thing is reduced to the simplest theatre is Blyth (main stage), Stratford, Grand Bend. There's much more to it," she said. This is Mike Mullen's second summer with the Young Company. "It's a strange kind of play," said Mullen. How docs he think audi- ences will react? "They'll think it's funny," the young actor said refer- ring to a scene where cast members give the audience 'the finger.' Mullen's interpretation of the play is that the world is strange. "Every- one thinks the world is normal." Why should people come to see this alternative production? "There are different types of theatre. People should try to sec all of them, not just the traditional ones." Mike Mullen, who is entering grade 10 at Seaforth District High School in September, plans to con- tinue acting but says "1 don't think I'll make it my living." *•* Their parents wouldn't let them do it. The Blyth Young Company's plan to rebel with the late -hour staging of Our Parents Made Us Do 1t seems to have backfired. Originally the cast sent out press releases stating that weekday shows during the August 16-20 nm of the play at the Blyth Festival Garage Theatre would begin at 11 p.m. (Tey were given a choice of 7 or 11 p.m. by director Stephen Seabrook so their play wouldn't conflict with the main stage production times. So the young crew chose the late show time). Well, it seems that a lot of par- ents weren't in agreement to the late start time and a compromise of 9:30 p.m. has been made. But there will be an early and late (11 p.m.) show on Friday night. St. Columban` by Cecilia Ryan 345-2028 —1 Knights of Columbus hold successful Jamboree The Knights of Columbus of Seaforth held their sixth annual Fiddlers Talent Jamboree on Sun- day afternoon on the St. Columban Church grounds. The event attracted a large crowd of people of all ages. E itertainment was provided by backup band Mozart Melody Makers of Zurich; stepdancers, Peggy McClure and Jackie Cronin; violin selections by Amanda Ryan and Madonna McQuaid accompanied by Dolly McQuaid on the piano; Ted Shinbein and Ron Stacey; Charles Gethke; Eva and Fred Van Den Heide of Denfield; stepdancers, Kelly Cronin, Maureen McClure and Denise McClure; Jim and Rene Young, Fred Harburn and Andre Patrick; Bill Albert, Wilf McQuaid and Jim Delaney; and Wilson and Georgina McCartney and Warren Whitmore. Several prizes, donated by mer- chants from the surrounding area, were drawn for during the after- noon. A door prize was won by Eileen MacRae. Congratulations to Mary Murray and Lyle Dewar who were united in marriage by Father Joseph Hardy at St. Columban Catholic Church on Saturday, August 13. Mary is the daughter of Tom and _ Maddie Murray of Seaforth and Lyle is the son of Gerald and Marion Dewar of Vancouver, B.C. Congratulations to Lina and Larry Murray of Brampton on the birth of their daughter, Lydia Nicole, on Friday, August 12, a little sister for Adrian and Marissa and another granddaughter for Agnes Murray of RR 4 Walton and Rocco and Emma Cupido of Hamilton. Pat, Carrie, Jeff and Nathan Sub- ject of Kitchener visited on Sunday afternoon with Cecilia Ryan. Sympathy of the community is extended to Dick Middleton, who operates the Country Charm Cafe in St. Columban, on the death of his mother last week. Dublin by Dorothy Dillon 345-2883 Memorial mass held for former Dublin priest A memorial mass was held at St. Patrick's Church for Fr. Arthur Looby last Sunday. Blessings of Memorial Plaque and Celebration of Ordination Anniversary took place. To all those attending, it brought back memories of a very special Dublin priest. Congratulations to Ray and Pauline White, Kinkora on the safe arrival of their son, Joseph Nolan, (brother for Sarah and Rachel). Also congratulations to the proud grandparents (Clarence and. Marie White, Kinkora and Marie Dckroon, Mitchell). Sympathy of the community is extended to Alex and Verna Strathdee on the death of their son, Steven Alexander, to their family and also to the grandparents, Calvin and Gwen Christie, and Aldin and Mary Strathdee. A happy birthday to a special Seaforth lady, Margaret Gorwill, from your many, many friends( Joe Eckert had the following visitors; Jim and Dot Mansini, Guelph, Bob Knowles, Cambridge, Judy, Angie and Alysha Emm, Stratford, Stephen Eckert, Seaforth. Happy Birthday to Paul O'Rourke (that very special Dublin guy) from your many, many friends! 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