On April 29, students from Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School’s Advanced Drama class brought stories to life for younger learners as they visited the district’s four elementary schools as part of the K.A.T.S. troupe, “Kids Are The Spotlight.”

Under the direction of teacher Sylvia Walsh, high school performers presented engaging dramatizations of children’s literature — such as “A Little Spot of Kindness,” “The Mean Bean” and “Exclamation Mark” — designed to promote positive character education. Through interactive performances, students encouraged audience participation and fostered meaningful discussions with elementary students about the themes and conflicts within each story.

The performances addressed important topics such as bullying, inclusion, anxiety, appropriate school behavior and name calling. Following each presentation, the actors worked closely with students to reflect on these issues, helping them identify positive choices and empowering them to become “upstanders” in their school communities.
The initiative aims to encourage younger students to speak up, recognize inappropriate behavior and support one another in creating a respectful and inclusive environment.