The fledgling theater department at Tioga ISD again saw success at the state level last weekend.
Seven of twelve competing students made it to Austin to again compete against students from across the state in three sizes of districts.
“We compete 1-3A, however, only the top 10 get to make it to state in each category and in group only the top six get to make it,” department head Haley Hertel said. “I don’t know exactly how many make it in each group. I judged some of the 6A ones and judged 92 in costuming. It's pretty cutthroat, so just to make it, we’re pretty happy.”
The big event at this competition was theatrical design, which one team, made up of Lizbeth Fraire De Leon, Kaitlyn Garrison, Amelia Strittmatter and Mackenzie Lewter, rated fourth place in.
“It’s a little crazy, the school has been really supportive in giving me a tech theater and production class and that has given me the opportunity to teach them what they need to know,” Hertel said. “A lot of 2A schools don’t get that. We had the most entries of any 2A school who made it to state, so I think it's a testament to the support we get here.”
De Leon competed in several other events, including the Barbara Jordan Historical Essay event, in which she claimed the state champion title.
“This is the first year anyone at Tioga has ever done the essay contest, so I would encourage others to do it,” De Leon said. “All high school I’ve been competing in everything I can. It keeps me busy, and I just enjoy working towards something, even if it doesn’t give results in the end.”
As a prospective lawyer, De Leon said the time she’s devoted to the theater and her other extracurriculars has taught her a lesson about herself she’ll carry forward.
“Over the past couple of years, I’ve showed a lot of dedication,” De Leon said. “So, knowing I can dedicate myself is important. Law school is something that a lot of people will say they struggle with but having these experiences from theater will help with that dedication.”
Garrison, who was a state champion in solo design last year, returned to the state stage with her hair and makeup designs.
“It gave me a lot of creative freedom,” Garrison said. “I’m always playing with someone’s hair and have been drawn to it. Cosmetology was an option at one point, it’s Plan B, but being a radiology tech is Plan A.”
Like De Leon, she spoke about the general growth theater has helped facilitate in her.
“It’s gotten me out of my comfort zone,” Garrison said. “Freshman year I never thought I’d be a theater kid, so now I know I’m weird and it’s OK. It shows me I can do a lot.”
Strittmatter, a junior in the group, doesn’t have a path for her future in mind yet, but again spoke about the value she’s gotten from her time both on and behind the stage.
“I’ve learned and grown a lot through theater,” Strittmatter said. “I’ve gone from being in the crew to being onstage, so it’s definitely a passion of mine. I’ve learned a lot about how to make a bond with anyone. Sometimes you have to work with people who you’re not super familiar with, and I’ve learned a lot through that. I’ve also become a lot more confident and that carries over.”
Hertel, who has seen her students compete at the state level all three years since she’s started the program, spoke about how to keep the momentum moving forward.
“They just announced next year’s show, and I’m on the committee that writes the prompt, so we have it for next year,” Hertel said. “We’ve already started making plans to meet up a couple times this summer without the pressure of the deadline yet and just be creative and have some fun with it. I’m just trying to keep it fun at the end of the day.”
She expanded on the idea of culture and how to build it.
“They want the culture,” Hertel said. “They want to work hard because they want to be the ones to set the legacy. ... Also, they just work really hard. I want them to find what they’re good at. It’s all about letting them expand and grow.”
The ideas of culture and legacy are not lost on the students.
“I hope that I’ve been showing other people that aren’t in theater that it’s cool to be here,” Garrison said. “It’s fun, it’s a lot of hard work, but in the end, it really pays off.”
