Post Classifieds
Rwanda trip inspires teaching
By Sarah Guenther
On May 4, 2012
When six students from the Buffalo State theater department went to Rwanda over
winter break, they planned to learn about history, culture and genocide, and apply
their experiences in the studio.
Since coming home, they have gone past their original plan and spread Rwanda's
story to people far beyond the confines of a studio at Buffalo State College.
While in Rwanda, the group worked directly with the Mashirika professional theater
company to devise a piece of theater from their learnings. They were given just two
and a half days to do this, and in that time formed a family.
"We had nothing else but each other. When you're stripped from all distractions,
you can only truly get to know the people you're surrounded with," said Lewis
Sepulveda, senior theater major at Buffalo State.
Their experiences in Rwanda kept them wanting more, and it started from the
moment of their arrival.
"As soon as I stepped off the plane, my misconceptions were immediately thrown
out the window," Sepulveda said.
"I thought I was going to see grass huts everywhere in a deeply impoverished city. It
wasn't though. There were billboards that reflected a booming city," he said.
To help the group readjust with coming home, they channeled the light Rwanda
instilled in them in their own community.
"We don't ask our students to change the world, we expect it," said Donn
Youngstrom, chair of the theater department.
They created a plan in their theater ensemble class to exceed expectations the way
Rwanda had exceeded theirs.
"Once your heart is touched, you can't help but want to touch the hearts of others,"
Sepulveda said.
The Buffalo State students put together a piece of devised theater that combines the
Rwandan genocide with American issues of bullying.
Riding on the slogan, "you must open your eyes to be the change," Buffalo State
theater students started their mission to spread Rwanda's story at City Honors
School in Buffalo. The children in grades five to eight at City Honors were the first to
witness the performance by the theater group.
A troubling problem pressing in middle schools and high schools in America is the
devastating effects of bullying, Ashby said.
"And what is genocide?" Ashby said. "In Rwanda's case, it was years and years of
bullying. It was one group of people thinking they're better than the other."
The performance features commercials that parody actual advertisements.
The first commercial features two politicians who are running for presidency.
They begin to personally attack the opposite opponent, saying petty and insulting
comments.
"These kids are bullying each other, but what are they seeing from the politicians on
TV?" Ashby said. "We thought that would be a powerful message to share."
The children were shocked after seeing the show, Sepulveda said. They wanted to
make a difference personally, but they had a lot of questions on how.
"There were parts of the performance that were unclear to them, and they wanted it
to be explained more," Sepulveda said.
"Based on their reactions, we made a lot of changes to the piece," he said. "It's now
turned into a very different performance than what we had first showed them."
The City Honors students decided they wanted to create their own version of the
play with help from the theater group.
The Buffalo State students have been working with the eight girls and one boy from
the school to help make their play.
"We have been acting as their guides, or directors in a way," Sepulveda said.
"There are so many kids out there who are looking for role models, and that's what
we're being for them," he said. "They want people to care for them."
City Honors established a residency with Buffalo State and the Anne Frank Project.
"We as actors will visit them twice a month, or maybe more, to help guide them
along," Sepulveda said.
The BSC students will work with City Honors until school ends this semester.
They will pick up again after summer break, and then begin to showcase their
performance sometime in the fall, he said.
For comments on this story, contact bscrecord@gmail.com.
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