As I drove up to the entrance of Pelham High School on Friday afternoon, I was filled with anticipation. I knew that a fun weekend was in store, and I couldn’t wait to get started. I entered the building and immediately felt the buzz of pre-festival energy. Tables were being set up, vendors were arriving, and people were bouncing around to prepare the building. I met the wonderful STO and helped unload boxes until students started arriving. Then, we went to prepare for the opening ceremony.
The opening ceremony was so cool to watch! The delegates loved the opening number and were very excited to be introduced to the representatives. That really kicked the evening off and afterwards, students headed to workshops, IEs, and shows. I co-taught a leadership workshop with some of the STO, and we had some awesome participants. At the conclusion of our workshop, we went back to the STO table to sell some festival merchandise, and before we knew it, the first day had come to a close.
Bright and early the next morning, I headed out of my hotel to start day two. The day was filled with pictures at the STO photo booth, lots of items sold at the STO table, workshops, and sadly, the final hours of my time in Pelham.
Closing ceremony was phenomenal. The IE showcase was incredible, and I was in awe of all of the extremely talented students who participated! I was able to speak to the delegation about TIOS month and the importance of arts education in schools, and we took a giant selfie to commemorate the end of the event. I loved every minute I spent in Alabama, and was able to meet some amazing and hard working Thespians.
Stay tuned for more blog posts as we begin to reach the end of our travels before ITF. Make sure to participate in #TIOS17 this month, and if you are a rising high school junior or senior that is interested in leadership, check out the ITO application. As always, make sure you follow @internationalthespianofficers on Instagram, @ITOOfficial on Snapchat, The International Thespian Officers on Facebook, and @ITOMacKenzieS on Twitter to stay connected. See y’all in Lincoln!
