Praise for dramatic gains in schools

Quite often on this page we voice our concerns, thoughts and insights on politics, taxes, education, the economy and the governing bodies and decisions they make that affect our daily lives. But we also have a keen eye on those events and people who make our communities a joy to be a part of, whether it is a community festival or a church or school event.

With that in mind, we join the rest of the West Aurora High School community in applauding the work of English and drama teacher Donna Letzter, who directed her last play at the high school this weekend and will close a brilliant 30-year career when she retires in August.

The fact that Letzter this year continued her string of pushing students to take on challenging productions was not lost upon us. Her students finished the spring production of "Rent" on Saturday night, allowing West Aurora to boast of being the first high school in the country to tackle this complex and high-energy musical.

But this has been Letzter's trademark. Her students have also showcased their talents in the past with "West Side Story," another production that many high schools shy away from because of a shortage of young men who can handle the complex choreography, as well as "Les Miserables," "Miss Saigon," "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Fame." Those plays also carry a message that Letzter wanted her students to embrace -- that being different and accepting those who are different is the foundation of an understanding world.

While we focus on Letzter today because of her pending retirement and the fact that she was awarded the Kane County Teacher of the Year in 2007, we certainly have seen this type of dedication in other teachers in other fields. But it is a noticeable trait in the arts, particularly in theater. We are reminded of Ron Koeppl's years of service at St. Charles East High School, and those of Page McCloud at Batavia, and many others in the area who worked with young people to give the community bright moments on the stage that don't always catch the attention of a sports event or a community festival.

Whether it was a stirring individual performance or a fine effort by the pit orchestra during plays like "Fiddler on the Roof" or "Oklahoma" at a Geneva or Kaneland high school production, or an impressive professional stage setting for "Guys and Dolls" at St. Charles East, we fully understand how many lives are touched and enlightened by those involved in the work that goes into our high school musical productions.

Donna Letzter is a wonderful example of this kind of dedication, and we can only hope she has inspired another generation of risk-takers and those who display a relentless love for the arts. With that kind of mindset taking hold, the day will come soon when a high school is ready and able to take on "Wicked" or "Jersey Boys" in the same manner they excel in musicals and dramas from a glorious yesteryear.