Middle School Students Walk in the Shoes of Trayvon Martin in a Play of Hope and Reflection

Trayvon MartinOn December 16, Paul Cuffee Middle School students performed an original play about slain teenager Trayvon Martin in front of a packed audience at the Providence Career and Technical Academy. The play, Trayvon: A Walk in My Shoes, was written by Robb Dimmick, Charlayne Osborne, and PCS 8th grader Chrisian Abis.

Dimmick thinks of the play as a celebration of a life lost too soon. “It’s a powerful play with spoken word and song. Trayvon helps us reflect on our precious youth and how we can protect them. The students have dedicated themselves to the importance of this story in a time when it is most needed,” he says.

Omar Richardson, an 8th grader performing for the first time in a Middle School play, reflected on the ongoing relevance of the story, stating, “This is about me, I can relate to it, and I can have a voice.”

Thirteen young men and women from the After School Club, all wearing black hoodies and proclaiming “I am Trayvon,” attested to the universality of the feeling that at any moment, any one of us could be “Trayvon.” They joined with the Glee Club in singing a moving tribute to peace in the face of injustice.

The play was funded in part by the Frederick C. Tanner Memorial Fund and a 21st Century Learning Center grant.

Paul Cuffee students in play about Trayvon Martin

Photo (top): Christian Abis honors Trayvon Martin during an original play performed by PCS Middle School students. Photo (bottom): The ensemble lights a candle in memory of Trayvon Martin.

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