Go West!

Sam's fifth grade class put on a play about the westward expansion this year called Go West. The kids went to after school practices for half the year and really worked hard on this. It turned out great!


Sam has had the opportunity this year to work with the Special Education kids at our school. One particular boy, Alexander, took a liking to Sam. He is autistic and has incredible musical abilities. After listening to the soundtrack for Go West he composed his own arrangement to the song and before the play started he played it while four girls from Sam's class sang it. It was really cool!


Sam is much more of a performer than any of the rest of this Young clan. Who would have guessed Sam liked being in the spotlight?!


Sam delivering her monologue.


I wanted to record just a few seconds of the play for Sam to remember it and caught this cute video of Sam helping to direct Alexander. She got buddied up with him for the play and was in charge of making sure he came on and off of the stage at the appropriate times. Alexander is an amazing, talented boy, but not always easy to control. He was poking, pinching and touching Sam all throughout the play, but Sam was very kind and patient with him. I've had no less than half a dozen teachers and parents tell me how kind and compassionate Sam is towards him. Now if I could just get her to act that way towards her own brother!