Eighth graders display acting skills in drama competition

By Jasmine Hsu Staff Reporter

The annual drama competition took place on May 26 in the Washington High School gym with a total of nine participating Grade 8 classes.

The winning class adapted a wellknown comic, “The First Slam Dunk,” to demonstrate passion for basketball and the necessity of tacit cooperation. The plot revolves around a former basketball star who paralyzes himself in an accident during a basketball competition. Despite frustration and pain, the basketball star eventually rediscovers his talent and wins a wheelchair basketball competition.

While most domestic department classes focused on themes of encouragement and overcoming obstacles, the students in the Overseas Department explored social issues. One class performed the story of a student who commits suicide due to the high expectations of his father who neglects his personal feelings and goals. Before the competition, the students spent a month and a half researching student anxiety and academic pressure.

“We spent a lot of time practicing together and listened to the advice of different teachers,” said Abe Chu, Grade 8. “This ensures that when we are on stage we can not only exude confidence but improvise when things don’t go as expected.”

Students learned to incorporate prop elements such as basketball nets, bus stops and a poster with the headline “Breaking News.” The competition also featured diverse settings ranging from an airport to a hospital to the woodcarving station that produced Pinocchio.

“The experience was encourag- ing, especially seeing that junior high students have such interest and potential for acting,” said Douw Steyn, who served as one of the judges. “I think what stood out to me the most was that the actors paid eye contact to the audience, a feat difficult to achieve even for trained actors.”