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The online student news source of Lovejoy High School

The Red Ledger

The online student news source of Lovejoy High School

The Red Ledger

A stage to serve

Freshman assists special needs students in local theatre program
Freshman+Kendall+Hartness+has+been+participating+in+the+Starcatchers+program+since+sixth+grade.
Kelsey Carroll
Freshman Kendall Hartness has been participating in the Starcatchers program since sixth grade.

Laughter and blissful smiles filled the theater room.

Volunteers help actors, guiding them through the motions and giving gentle corrections.

Students recite lines with dedicated emotions as the actors rehearsed with their “buddy” volunteer.

Freshman Kendall Hartness spent her days after school in this setting. She assisted theatre lovers with disabilities at North Texas Performing Arts.

“It combined both of my favorite things,” Hartness said. “I heard about it and thought it was just such a cool opportunity and I loved that they’re doing this. It was really cool to see that I got to help kids that have the same passion as I do.”

Hartness started acting with NTPA in sixth grade and volunteered for their Starcatchers program in middle school. This program began as a therapeutic drama class in the early 1990s and is designed specifically for children and adults with special needs.

I hope this program has an environment that encourages empathy, fosters community and promotes creativity,” Starcatchers program director Gabby Banzon said. “[Participants’ ages range from] 8 and up. We don’t put a top age limit because most programs stop at 18, and we find that everyone can benefit from the therapeutic arts.”

Every person in the Starcatchers program are paired with a “buddy,” a volunteer that specifically works with them. The volunteers are people in other NTPA’s programs.

“My favorite part of this program was getting to build friendships with these people,” Hartness said. “What will happen is there’s this group of girls that I’m friends with that were my buddies. When I’m in a show, they’ll see it on Instagram and come see it, or I go to theirs. It’s so cool that it’s not just like I work there. We’re friends and we go to each other’s shows. I love that I create friendships with these kids.”

While working on the shows, the volunteers had to face obstacles with their buddies. NTPA holds classes for the volunteers to learn how help the buddies whenever they get overwhelmed.

“There’s certain ways to [help them] cope when they get upset or anxious,” Hartness said. “One time my buddy was very riled up so I just had to go and take a walk with them and talk to them. This certain buddy loves Star Wars, so I talked to him about his new Star Wars video game. There’s different situations where you just need to let them go and be like ‘it’s ok’ and walk away from the situation.”

Hartness said she believes she has become more mature through volunteering for this program.

“Since [volunteers] are interns, you definitely have to be more aware of them than you are yourself,” Hartness said. “You can’t be so focused on yourself. You have to be focused on them and helping them. I feel like it made me less selfish, and I wouldn’t think of myself as much.”

“Annie,” “The Lion King,” “Moana,” and the Summer Show Tunes are shows Hartness assisted with. She finds joy working with the Starcatchers that she “can’t find anywhere else.”

“One thing that I love is that they’re so carefree,” Hartness said. “They’re just here to have fun and be happy and there’s no drama with them. My heart is just happy when I’m working with these people. I know that’s a very bland answer, but I just feel so happy working with them.”

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About the Contributors
Hannah D'Iorio, Staff Writer
Junior Hannah D’Iorio is ecstatic about her fifth year in journalism. People who knew her in the previous years would probably say that she often sees the glass as half-empty. Hannah is determined to make this year the year where the glass is only half-full. The fact that she made the Varsity cheer team should help change her perspective of the glass. She’s obsessed with Grey’s Anatomy and Once Upon a Time and could watch the movie “Beetlejuice” endless amount of times. Hannah is grateful that she decided to join journalism in seventh grade and is ready to write more stories.
Kelsey Carroll, Section Editor
Senior Kelsey Carroll has never owned a dog or a cat, but she’s the proud caretaker of two mini cacti living their life on her windowsill, and she thinks that’s just enough. She never forgets to water them weekly, as she’s a fond planner user who prides herself on writing down just about any task, even “write staff bio,” which she just proudly accomplished. When she’s not strumming twangy ukulele chords in her bedroom on the weekends or attempting to play a cello countermelody in class during the week, Kelsey can be found dancing to whatever plays in her earbuds (which are constantly on her) while editing photos until her laptop battery dies each night. Her days start before the sun’s up at swim team, and end with her furiously deciding which of her 16 pairs of Harry Potter socks to wear the next day. Whether she’s shooting sideline photos and dodging officials on the football field, or manning a jumbotron camera for the fans to see, Kelsey loves to be involved in any visual coverage she can get her hands on. Although she’s soft spoken, Kelsey hopes to share stories through her photos and writing as she tackles her roles as photographer, community editor, and social media editor during her fourth and final year on staff.

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