PCS teens experience Broadway musical with important message
By Rachel Goings
On Jan. 21, Plumas Charter School students and staff traveled to the Pioneer Center in Reno to attend the matinee performance of “Dear Evan Hansen” – a first-time Broadway musical experience for most of the teens.
“Dear Evan Hansen” is described as a deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. PCS nurse Danielle Plocki said that the play’s themes of mental health and social media were the motivation for prompting the field trip. “Not only is it exposing them to an artistic and cultural event, but it also opens their eyes to see that the things they might struggle with are not just in the microcosm of our school or town, but affect teens everywhere. Storytelling through the medium of theater can have such a profound effect on people,” she said.
Four adults and 22 students were able to attend thanks to a grant from the Common Good Foundation which covered the cost of tickets, and thanks to Mountain Valley Parents Club for covering dinner for participants. School counselor Becky Powers took the initiative to apply for the Common Good grant to fund the trip.
The Common Good Foundation is a community based, non-profit organization located in Plumas County. Its goal is to encourage local philanthropy and support worthwhile programs, projects and organizations within the region.
Both the teens and adults from Quincy had a great time seeing the play, which is part of the Pioneer Center’s touring Broadway series. Plumas Charter School operates learning centers in Quincy, Taylorsville and Chester. To learn more, visit www.plumascharterschool.org.
