Psychodrama Skits

* Re “Psychodrama Skits Help Students, Others Deal With Traumas,” April 1.

As the parent of one of the performers, I was disappointed to see that The Times decided to use pictures of the Goldman family. The performance was about a wide range of topics, not about one family’s tragedy.

The point of the performance was to present something any of us could relate to; to let teenagers know that they are not alone in their feelings.

The students who put this together did so mostly on their own, with very little adult guidance. They wrote, directed and produced the entire performance. Everyone in the audience was moved to tears.

These kids spent every Thursday night for six months working on this because they wanted to and not because they had to. I would like to acknowledge each of them: Mana Aghabarari, Kristen Anderson, Lindsay Camras, Mckenzie Cerri, Jenny Di Spaltro, Jeremy Empol, Monica Froman (student director), Lauren Glass, Carol Hendrix (technical director), Emily Horacek (student director), Aaron Kollitz, Matt Levine, Amy Ramsey and Nick Rodriguez.

We hear so much about the troubled kids today; let’s acknowledge the kids who are motivated and productive. These students traveled to the statewide Peer Counseling Conference in March to present their material to perhaps the most difficult audience of all: their peers.

Lastly, I wish to acknowledge Tess Wilkoff, counselor and advisor, who gave of her own time to drive these students (all in one van!) to the conference in Northern California, and met with them whenever her personal time allowed, to give them support, guidance and encouragement. Thank you.

CYNTHIA HORACEK

Oak Park