Youth Explore STEM Concepts Through Stage Production

Camp Fire First Texas has partnered with Amphibian Stage Productions to show Camp Fire youth how science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts are used in everyday stage production. Children at Camp Fire Diamond Hill Station After School Program are visited by Amphibian Stage employees every Tuesday afternoon.

Each month youth will explore a different element of producing a play. From story to stage, students will get a crash course in playwriting, character work, set, prop design, stilt walking, sound FX and costume design. The program will culminate in May 2016 with Diamond Hill Station students designing, writing and executing their own ensemble piece.

"Amphibian is thrilled about our partnership with the Camp Fire students," Vanessa Rohrer, Director of Education at Amphibian Stage Productions said. "We want to empower the kids by giving them the reigns and facilitating a project where their voices can be heard."

When a child is working to create a play with classmates they are applying STEM skills that, not only, have real world applications but stimulate excitement no worksheet can ignite. Building a set, designing a light plot, exploring the science and manipulation of sound, budgeting for materials are just a few examples of how STEM is applied in theatre education.

To elevate the learning experience, Amphibian Stage and Camp Fire will host theatre professionals of varying disciplines to work with the children. The unique partnership will feature professionals from the Dallas/Fort Worth area and New York to work with students. Puppet masters from New York will hold a workshop in the spring and Sound Engineers will join the youth in February to help the children create sound FX, explore foley techniques and select music to enhance a scene in their own production.

Research has shown that exposure to the arts allows students to not only explore their own imaginations but encourages teamwork, instills confidence and fosters problem solving that goes beyond the stage. Using theatre education as a vehicle will unleash each child's creative side in a supportive environment while also teaching students about leadership and collaboration. Through curriculum developed by Amphibian Stage, the program hopes to help each child discover the joys of being an active part of a community and develop a long lasting appreciation for the arts.

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