STRAIGHT OFF BROADWAY THE HIKE SCHOLARS PRESENT PEGGY THE PINT SIZED PIRATE

On February 20th, the HIKE Foundation hosted it's monthly HIKE SCHOLARS Meeting at the West Side Boys & Girls Club. The reading theme in February was "We Can Work It out, a focus on the performing arts". The monthly meeting focused on learning more about and participating in the performing arts.

Matt kicked the evening off, as we do every month, by recognizing the HIKE SCHOLARS who had perfect school attendance during the month of January. Each of these SCHOLARS was provided a HIKE Foundation mini-football for their hard work. This was another milestone month for HIKE SCHOLARS as it was the second straight month that more than half of the SCHOLARS had perfect school attendance in a given month.

Each SCHOLAR received their copy of When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan an enthralling true story of a courageous African American girl with a very special gift! This tale begins with 6-year-old Marian singing "Let Us Break Bread Together" in her parents' cozy kitchen, and ends with her triumphant 1939 concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Matt read the book aloud as the SCHOLARS listened closely

Then it was show time as the HIKE SCHOLARS presented "Peggy the Pint Sized Pirate", A Children's Play by D. M. Bocaz-Larson. The play's roles were discussed, parts were selected and copies of the scripts were distributed. Each SCHOLAR, as well as several board members and parents participated in the play. Over the course of the first scene the SCHOLARS went from shy and timid to being in full character. By the second scene, the SCHOLARS were budding Broadway actors and actresses.

Once again, the February perfect attendance milestone and the unwavering parental participation, made the February meeting another step towards instilling in each HIKE SCHOLAR and their family members that the goal of higher education is within their grasp.