Sequoyah Student Hosts Special Needs Talent Show

Editor's note: the following was submitted by Sequoyah High School's Briana Outlaw.

Imagine the joy that comes with giving someone the opportunity to shine and experience pure bliss.

Saigim Garcia, a Sequoyah High School student, decided to create a talent show and musical production for special needs students so they can experience that feeling.

Over the summer, Garcia attended Camp Momentum, a six-hour long physical activity summer camp for children with disabilities. At the camp, devoted individuals like Garcia had the opportunity to interact with these children on a variety of different levels.

Activities at the camp include nature walks, coloring activities, card games, kickboxing as well as arts and crafts.

Because of the organization's purpose, not only campers are showered with encouragement and a chance to see the world in a more positive light, but the helpers also experience what it is like to allow a child to see that the future is filled with possibilities and beauty.

After Garcia and her project facilitator conducted some planning and research, they decided to hold the musical production at Hickory Flat United Methodist Church in November, and they also determined that it was to be based on the Disney movie, “Camp Rock.”

They sent out permission slips to the parents of the children to ensure that they would be able to participate in the show, and Garcia also posted numerous flyers around Sequoyah High School and Dean Rusk Middle School to inform each student body of the upcoming event.

After the fliers were posted and the permission slips were sent out, Garcia needed to develop a script and an altered plot line for the production. To accomplish that goal, she watched the Disney movie several times to develop a script that would be easy to follow for the participating students and would also provide entertainment for the audience.

Once practices for the students began, Garcia said great progress was made, the rehearsals were sometimes "difficult and sluggish."

At practices, costumes and props were discussed and choreography was added to the script. After the fourth day of practice, Garcia expressed that while she was nervous and stressed, she was excited to see how the show will turn out.

On the day of production, tensions were running a bit high, and Garcia and her helpers were frantically trying to get everything set up for the show. However, once the whole audience arrived, Garcia’s anxiety lessened as she introduced herself, the project and the cast.

Although many obstacles presented themselves throughout the course of this project, Garcia and her peers were able to persist and produce an unforgettable finished product.

“The students performed their hearts out and had a blast,” Garcia said, adding she couldn't have been more happy with how everything turned out.

Image via Briana Outlaw