By CATHERINE SHEN, NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
A crowd of Hope School elementary students were treated Friday morning to a live theater performance about electrical safety.
Agents of Safety, sponsored by Edison International, was performed by two professional actors from the National Theatre for Children. The company is currently touring 40 elementary schools across Southern California Edison’s service area.
The National Theatre for Children has delivered free programs to schools across the country since 1978. More than 30 million children have attended the shows that are performed to teach, entertain and inspire future generations to make the world a better place, according to the organization.
Through colorful sets and lively costumes, the 25-minute live show teaches students how electricity is made, the uses of electricity, how to identify dangerous electrical situations, and ways to stay safe around electricity, according to event organizers.
Spokeswoman Rondi Guthrie said Edison International, parent company of Southern California Edison, partnered with the National Theatre for Children in 2012 as part of a $20 million program that was invested in local communities. Edison provided a $100,000 grant to the theater group to produce the play to educate children in Southern California.
“The kids were excited to see the show and the two actors really got the students involved with asking questions and responding to the performance,” said Ms. Guthrie, who was at the event. “It was really great to see the level of excitement and involvement. It was a very valuable lesson for the kids.”
Educators are encouraged to visit the company’s website to download bilingual student playbooks, teacher guides, e-books, and digital activities to continue the education beyond the show.
“We feel it’s important for teachers to have resources available,” said Ms. Guthrie. “Safety is a top priority for us and a constant in everything that we do.”
Hope School Principal Barbara LaCorte said the educational play is a new concept and she was grateful for the opportunity to experience it.
“We are really appreciative of Edison International for giving us this free program to educate our kids in electrical safety,” she said. “It was great to show the kids that while electricity is essential in our lives, it can also be dangerous. So to show how to be safe in this fun and educational play was a really great way to do it. The students thoroughly enjoyed it, the teachers were entertained, and I would recommend all schools to give it a try.”
For more information, please visit: www.nationaltheatre.com
