From a COVID-19 diagnosis to a broken wrist, the weeks before “Pippin” brought confusion, chaos and worry to the show’s cast and crew. So, how did the theater department transform turmoil into triumph?
“Pippin,”...
As of 7:38 a.m, Monday morning, history teacher Melvin Trotier’s life was drastically changed. What changed, you may ask? His emotional support duck pond has up and waddled away.
“The duck pond...
Sophomore Kat Fitzanko walks through the halls carrying a heavy backpack. All of a sudden, she spots a small, yellow object perched up high on a windowsill. A smile dawns across her face as she realizes...
![Fully running through “Pippin” for the first time, sophomore Jack Mullen performs the opening number alongside his castmates to kick off tech week. Having been diagnosed with COVID-19 one week before the show, theater teacher and Director Amie Gossett relied on her students to step up to help the show run smoothly in her absence. “As a whole, this has been a very collaborative experience for all the kids. They’ve learned to take responsibility [while] pushing themselves to keep the show going. [They learned] to believe themselves in stepping outside of their comfort zone and to push for what they want,” Gossett said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/DSC_0036-900x600.jpg)
![History teacher Melvin Trotier gazes longingly out his window towards where his beloved duck pond used to be. Trotier says that the disappearance of the pond has taken a toll on him. "At this point, I did the sad, depressive [stage] this morning, and now I am at anger. I am working through my stages [of grief]," Trotier said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/IMG-3502-900x600.jpg)
![Junior Elle Rotter’s collection of five ducks sits lined up on a table. Rotter felt joyful finally finding a duck for herself. “I remember all day [when the ducks were first put out] looking for them in the hallways, library and at lunch,” Rotter said. “A lot of my friends found one before me but I finally found one in the library the next day. I instantly felt so happy. I remember [also] feeling dumb for being so happy and proud, but I quickly shrugged that feeling off and have since enjoyed keeping my eye out for the ducks around the school.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/IMG-1531-900x601.jpg)