Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

speakup

Students at Nashwaaksis Middle School may be miles from Israel and Palestine, but a project has helped them learn about what life is like for children in that part of the world.

GLEANER/STEPHEN MACGILLIVRAY PHO

CONFLICT ZONE: Nashwaaksis Middle School students are putting on play they adapted from the controversial and award-winning novel Three Wishes Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak. Above from left, rehearsing one of the scenes, are: Jerry-Faye Flatt, playing an Israeli soldier; Julia Sanders, an Israeli soldier; Nina Lee-White and Joni-Lynn Leger Cudmore, two Palestinian girls caught out after curfew; Lindsay Ryan, an Israeli soldier; and Charlotte Pyke, an Israeli soldier.

The students have spent the school year writing a play based on Deborah Ellis's novel Three Wishes Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak. The award-winning novel tells the story of war through the eyes of children.

Sharon Flatt is the play's director and producer, and the parent of a student at Nashwaaksis Middle School.

"It was a very large task. We did choose to write our production as well as act it. But in the end it worked out because it's an education in literature for the children and theatre, as well as social studies," said Flatt.

The process started with all of the students reading the novel. Alec Wyllie, 11, is in the play.

"When I read it, I felt really sorry for those kids. I just don't get why the Israelis and the Palestinians can't just share the land," said Wyllie.

After the students read the novel, they worked on writing a script based on characters in the book.

"It was just super we had to write everything; it's getting easier. All we have to do now is remember our lines, which isn't that hard because we wrote them," said Jerry-Faye Flatt, 12.

The last step was finding popular songs that work with certain scenes.

After a year of hard work, the play is set to have two public performances: today at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m.

The students are proud of their product.

"This is the first play I have ever heard of that gives you information ... but, again, I'm only 12 years old," said Jerry-Faye Flatt

Ellis said she is proud her book has influenced the students to use the characters and create the play.

"I'm honoured and excited to learn that the kids were transforming the book into a play. Having the words spoken on a stage will bring the stories to life in a really powerful way," Ellis said.