A DREAM COME TRUE FOR HAUPPAUGE STUDENTS

Twenty-one Hauppauge High School students attended the 18th Annual Student New York State Theatre Education Association (NYSTEA) Conference, January 9-11, 2015, at the Villa Roma Resort in Callicoon, New York. This is the 15th year that Hauppauge High School has sent representatives to the NYSTEA Student Conference.

This year’s conference received a special recognition as the New York State Assembly sent a Proclamation celebrating the NYSTEA Conference and declaring January 9, 2015 as NYSTEA Day. Actor, Radio and TV Host, Music Director and Writer Seth Rudetsky provided the NYSTEA Keynote Address whose theme was making sure that the students didn’t listen to anyone who tried to limit them and to not take “no” for an answer. Rudetsky also described how the NYSTEA Conference would have been his “absolute dream come true when I was in high school.”

The New York State Theatre Education Association – a strong, statewide organization of theatre educators – promotes and supports theatre education for students in grades pre-K through 12. The conference creates an opportunity for approximately 800 high school students from across New York State to come together for a full weekend of learning and peer interaction. These students attend workshops given by colleges, universities and other theatre professionals, as well as network with one another and experience a variety of performances throughout the conference.

For the NYSTEA Student Conference delegates, this conference is a highlight of their high school career. In the more than 100 workshop offerings, students receive expert instruction in technical theatre, acting, dance and voice. Meeting and sharing interests with other similarly-minded students from every region of the state is paramount to working collaboratively, gaining self-confidence and exploring new areas of learning. This conference is a testament to how “theatre transforms students’ lives!”

NYSTEA believes that theatre is an essential component of a pre-K-12 education for all students. Studying theatre in schools develops abilities needed for the 21st century, including critical thinking, problem-solving skills, applications of technology, social responsibility and creativity. In addition to the annual NYSTEA Student Conference, the organization provides resources to educators teaching theatre in the classroom, directing school drama and musical presentations and hosts a conference for educators every fall.