The Storybook Theatre, in cooperation with Ginny Hori, peer education teacher at Waimea High School, and with funding from the US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation presented a writing challenge
The Storybook Theatre, in cooperation with Ginny Hori, peer education teacher at Waimea High School, and with funding from the US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation presented a writing challenge to local students: Write a story about addiction and recovery from the perspective of a young person. Many of the entries were based on true stories, of friends or family, some completely fictionalized.
What poured forth was a haunting account of how drug use and addiction are realities for Kaua‘i’s young men and women and how the social pressure to assimilate often causes destructive and tragic ramifications.
Cash prizes were awarded for winning stories. First prize went to Genesse Cacal-Ignacio, for “Problems faced in life.” Shaun-tae Santiago’s “The Crystal Meth Story” and Jamie Delos Reyes’ “Addicted” shared second place. Honorable mentions were awarded to Sarah Aana, for “Invisible,” Courtney Espiritu, for “Sister” and Jolena Kali, for “The Change.”
Jeffers said that plans are in the works to produce some of these stories into teleplays, eventually to be broadcast on Kaua‘i’s local public television station by Storybook Theatre.
“From the staff (including Mark and Desiree) and board of trustees of Storybook Theatre of Hawai‘i, we wish to congratulate all of the participants … for our winners we wish to say thank you for taking the time to craft your words into a meaningful story, hopefully one that will inspire and instruct others to make positive choices in their own lives. For everyone involved, please never underestimate the power of your thoughts and words to create positive change in the world,” writes Jeffers of Storybook Theatre.
Reading over the winning entries from Hori’s Peer Education class, it is clear that such writing goes beyond the typical class assignment or expectation, even with contest money held out as a motivation.
The picture painted through the students’ stories illustrate the pressures that often steer young people into the uncontrollable and damaging world of hard and addictive drugs. The themes repeat: stable and happy pre-teens looking to find friendship, acceptance, escape and adventure fall into the company of “users” and suddenly discover their grades sinking, their family life strained, and their happiness out of reach.
The excerpts below provide examples of the creativity and style the writers used in communicating a difficult and sensitive topic. The names have been changed to protect real people the authors drew upon in creating their stories. Though some are written in the first person, the stories remain fiction.
For more information on the contest call Storybook Theatre at 335-0712 or e-mail rooster@hawaiilink.net
Excerpts were published by permission from Ginny Hori and Mark Jeffers.
• Keya Keita, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681 or kkeita@kauaipubco.com.
