BY DANI TIETZ
dani@mahometnews.com
It doesn’t take much to give a child confidence.
Often times, children build confidence through reaching a goal, feeling accepted and being independent. But, many times, opportunities for children with developmental disabilities to build confidence are not as abundant as the opportunities their peers have.
Peoria Developmental Pediatrician Dr. Andy Morgan saw this gap for some of his patients.
But, after a lifetime in community theater, Morgan believed that a theater program where children with developmental disabilities could perform with the help of their peers might be the boost of confidence some of his patients needed.
Morgan’s program, the Penguin Project, began in Peoria in 2004. Now in its thirteenth year of production, the Penguin Project provides children with developmental disabilities experiences in theater through 20 programs throughout the United States, including a program in Champaign-Urbana.
The Champaign-Urbana Theater Company (CUTC) began to host the Penguin Project in 2016 with the production of Disney’s “Aladdin Jr.,” This fall, CUTC put on the production of “Disney’s Mulan Jr.”
CUTC Executive Director Kelly Nowlin said callouts are held in the spring when the company finds student-mentors to work with their “artists,” children with developmental disabilities. Once mentors are secured, they are paired with an artist, who performs in the production.
Nowlin said the Penguin Project has had an effect on the artists, mentors and parents alike.
“For our artists, confidence levels are huge,” Nowlin said. “I remember the first rehearsal (in 2016), a lot of artists wouldn’t look you in the eye; they were nervous and scared. But by the second year, they were ready for those auditions and they were excited.”
Mahomet-Seymour eighth grade student Preston Hodges has participated in the Penguin Project for two years.
His mom, Linda said, “(The Penguin Project) helps him with his speech, memory and reading. He loves interacting with the mentors that are with each artist.”
Susan Gonzalez said she encouraged her daughter, Izzy, to join the Penguin Project in 2016 so that she could realize that she is not alone with her disability.
Gonzalez said, “The Penguin Project has been an amazing experience for Izzy as far as building her self-confidence.”
“Watching all of the artists come out of their shells has been an amazing experience for us. When the Penguin Project first started some of the artists were very quiet and reserved, now, they are engaging and positive, self-assured.”
Gonzalez also said that when the curtain closes after three days of showing off all of the cast’s hard work, “there is not a dry eye in the house.”
Not only do local school Special Education staff attend the productions because they see the impact the program has on their students, but Nowlin has been told about an increase in an artist’s reading scores and artists being able to communicate and make new friends at school because of the social skills they learned through the Penguin Project.
“At the beginning of the process two years ago, the artists and mentors would separate when we had breaks. But, at the end, they were all in one big group,” Nowlin said.
Parents of artists have enjoyed the opportunity so much that they are creating opportunities for the artists and mentors to socialize even after the production ended in September.
Throughout October and some of November, Penguin Project participants have sold $5 Bergner’s coupon books at the Market Place Mall in Champaign on the weekend.
“The parents are loving that because it’s giving the kids some skills and they are coming out of their shells,” Nowlin said.
The funds the group raises will go towards a red carpet cast party on November 12.
But mentors are finding ways to stay in touch with their cast partners on their own.
Students enrolled in the Penguin Project come from a variety of local schools, including Mahomet, Monticello, Champaign and Urbana, among others. But through social media and birthday parties, the group continues to meet up regularly.
While one artist has been in and out of the hospital this fall, her mentor has given her encouragement via Snapchat. And when another artist had a birthday party this fall, mentors showed up to wish her a happy birthday.
“We’re hearing from a lot of mentors that they are seeing things from a different point of view and they are more sensitive at school with kids that are maybe struggling,” Nowlin said.
Mahomet-Seymour High School students Lindsey Hodges and Rebekah Gonzalez, sisters to Preston and Izzy, are also mentors in the Penguin Project.
Lindsey said she’s learned that “there is always a place for anyone as long as there is someone there to accept them,” through her time as a mentor.
By blessing so many individuals and families, the Penguin Project has been named as a finalist for the 2017 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award.
The winner of the award will be named later this week.
