Students Take Centre Stage With Police Backup
A group of Rexdale students took centre stage with the help of teachers and police officers.
“The collaboration between the police officers and our students – it's been really cool to see. It's an unusual partnership,” says West Humber Collegiate Institute Vice-Principal Nadia Yasi, of the program that saw the students mount a production of Lion King Jr. – a 60-minute version of the internationally acclaimed musical.
"I think that being able to work with our community officers, [our students] have an opportunity to build relationships with them. For the police ... they get to see who our kids are and their beliefs and what they're passionate about.”
Neighbourhood Community Officers Constables Jack Rego and Mikaela Murray worked with the kids, rehearsing for months to mount the production in front of family, friends and fellow students.
“I’ve seen them from the first audition to the rehearsals to where they are now. It’s night and day,” says Rego.
Funded by ProAction Cops & Kids, the production was led by approximately 75 students who handled every aspect of the show – from set design and stage management to costumes and lighting.
Officers played a supportive role, coaching, encouraging and celebrating the students' progress along the way.
Murray's background in ballet dancing gave her the skills to choreograph much of the show and mentor the students every step of the way.
“The most rewarding part is … the continued relationship that was built,” Murray says, noting she formed a great connection with students through the challenge of mounting such an ambitious production. “It was more than a show and it didn’t just end on closing night.”
She adds that she plans to reunite with the students at their graduation, a milestone they’ve invited her to share in – and an invitation Yasi says would have been unlikely back in December when the production first began.
"Historically in our community, our students and our parents and our families don't necessarily always see the police in a positive light and that's just the truth,” Yasi admits.
But through this production, Rego says that the students, many of whom were initially wary, have become more open and engaged with police officers.
“I used to be scared of police officers,” says backstage organizer Dinadi Nishshanka, explaining how the uniforms once made officers seem intimidating. “But they’re really nice and I feel like I’m connected to the community when the police are there.”
“They're extremely chill ... for like police officer standards. They’re all really funny. They make jokes all the time and they’re all really helpful,” says 18-year-old Keane Gasasira, who plays Scar in the production. “I can tell they’re all awesome people.”
Although the curtain has fallen on The Lion King Jr., he believes the production had a lasting positive effect.
“I feel like it’s really important to the community because it’s a start for the community to come together more,” Gasasira says.
