22% Fear

“22% Fear”
Mary O’Keefe Offers Insight on CVHS Play

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7 p.m. Crescenta Valley High School students will be performing the original play “22% Fear” at the MacDonald Auditorium.

This play was inspired by a survey given to CVHS students that found 22% of kids felt harassed or bullied at school. Teacher Brent Beerman’s drama department set up an email account and invited students to anonymously submit their stories of bullying. Those emails evolved into “22% Fear.”
Students throughout the day today, Thursday, will be viewing the play and are encouraged to bring their parents tonight, Friday or Saturday.
I saw the play this morning and I strongly advise all parents, no matter the age of your children, to attend an evening performance.
I am a member of the Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition. At one of the first seminars we held, a video of kids talking about drugs was presented. I was part of the production team for that video.
I knew that drugs were in our area; I knew kids were involved, but to hear teenagers talking about what they saw in their school quite honestly floored me. And that is not easy to do.
I felt that exact emotion today when I watched “22% Fear.” Through kids we hear the stories we remember when we were their age. The bullying, the mean girls, the threats and the misunderstandings. What we dealt with was bad but what today’s kids are dealing with is worse. Today there is no escape to your room because social media follows you everywhere. It is on your computer and on your phone. Cyberbullying is an extension of the campus attacks.
The play covers physical and emotional bullying and it deals with violent teen dating, with both boys and girls as victims.
As parents we are all responsible for the safety of our kids, even when they don’t want us to get involved. This play is a great way to open a dialogue with your child about harassment and abuse, to talk to them about being a victim or being a bully.
The production also gives students a sense of power. “It is illegal,” they say of harassment.
“You are not alone.” They promise.
The play is Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 2, 3, and 4 at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults.