Parkdale Performances
Article by: Eddie Dabolt

On Monday March 10th and Tuesday March 11th we performed at Parkdale High school for Ms Shorr’s health class. While there, we showed the power point “First AIDS” and performed a few acts, including a skit about HIV, break dancing, and some live singing. The students seemed to really absorb the information that was given and participated by asking brilliant questions regarding how HIV works and some possible ways to research it. The students enjoyed our performances some of them even recording the acts on their cell phones and cameras. I myself am a student at Parkdale and I really enjoyed being able to teach my peers about issues that concern all of us and being able to help the other students in my school. Several of the students in the classes had already seen the performance and a few of the teachers in the school stopped by to see what the performance was about.

Ms. Shorr, who has invited us each semester for three years now, wrote to us about the response: “I completed my unit on STIs yesterday and was reviewing AIDS information. In previous years I would provide more information on AIDS to the students but since the WAIT team has been presenting information, my students are well informed. Your presentation was thorough and the feedback was terrific.   I think that the performances, in conjunction to the slides, provides an environment that they clearly understand the impact of AIDS and ways to prevent. Students certainly grasped the important information about AIDS and understood the message of the WAIT team. Your work certainly has had an impact on my students and can't tell you how much I appreciate the work that you are doing. Thank you!"

Overall I think that the Parkdale students were able to learn a lot from our visit and I can just hope that they will spread this information and use it to save lives.