Columbia Elementary School drama club releases first video production

WOODLAND — Woodland students in Columbia Elementary School’s after-school drama club debuted “Kindergarten Justice,” a video they created inspired by television crime dramas, to a crowd of parents, staff, and community members during a premiere May 18.

The school’s drama club attracted 12 students from third and fourth grades, with careful consideration given to ensure that everyone could have an active role.

Melissa Vickery-Bareford, Learning Assistance Program paraprofessional for the school as well as the adviser for the drama club, ensured students performed as much of the work as possible from operating the camera, managing the boom microphone, introducing scenes using the clapper, and much more.

When asked about the origins of the drama club, Vickery-Bareford shared that the club began last fall as a result of overwhelming demand from students.

Vickery-Bareford emphasizes the importance of the performing arts in a student’s academic career.

“Theater promotes empathy, literacy, and social-emotional learning,” she explained. “Whether through playing drama games, performing a skit, or making a movie, the performing arts foster confidence, cooperation, creativity, problem-solving, and communication skills.”

In addition to these skills helping students throughout their academic careers, lessons learned in the performing arts have a direct impact on careers after graduation.

“These 21st-century skills are critically important to student success in the real world just as they are on the stage,” said Vickery-Bareford. “I have seen extremely shy kids gain the confidence to express themselves with theater giving kids who don’t fit in elsewhere a real home.”