We are a group of over 80 students who have found a second home in our middle school's theatre class and after-school productions. Under the guidance of our beloved teacher, Mr. Paul, we've not only learned to act but also gained invaluable skills such as public speaking,  trying new things, and ensemble work. Today, we stand on the brink of losing this nurturing environment as our school plans to cut the theatre class and program.

I do these plays after school and I see new people join all the time, we have so many people signing up and i see their confidence boosting and their skills improving every day.

I have talked to people participating in the play, 7th grader Ale Carrera says that “This is the only thing she looks forward to for school”, 6th grader Milla Wallace says “Through theater, I have met many amazing people and it pushed me out of my comfort zone. It helped me realize that there was always a place for me.”

Theater is more than just an extracurricular activity; it's an essential part of our education system that fosters creativity, improves communication skills and boosts self-confidence among students. According to the American Alliance for Theatre & Education (AATE), students involved in drama performance coursework or experience outscored non-arts students on the SAT by an average of 65 points in the verbal component and 34 points in the math component.

Theatre education has been proven to boost students' self-confidence, empathy, tolerance, and team-building skills (American Alliance for Theatre & Education). Yet despite these well-documented benefits, schools across America continue to slash arts programs from their budgets. In Richfield MN alone, hundreds of students like us will be deprived of these opportunities if this trend continues.

It not only takes away a fun and enjoyable community experience, it means that any students interested will have a very popular form of self expression taken away from them.

We urge you to consider the impact that this decision will have on us - your children - who find joy in performing plays and musicals for our community. The loss would extend beyond just us; without these productions that bring people together in celebration of creativity and talent, Richfield would lose an important cultural asset.

Please join us in calling upon the school administration to reinstate Mr.Paul as a theatre teacher at our middle school and preserve our cherished theatre program – because every child deserves access to quality arts education. Sign this petition today!