Dare to Move: Courage Assembly

Driver Middle School (DMS) students were provided with the opportunity to experience this year’s building wide theme of “Challenge yourself with a healthy risk” as they participated in Camfel Productions’ Dare to Move “Courage” assembly. The fast paced presentation took place on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 in the Aitchison Auditorium. Dare to Move is a three screen, 40 minute, multi-media experience designed “to encourage students to live their lives to the fullest in spite of their fears”. The Dare to Move presenters greeted Grade 4-6 students and Grade 7-8 students at two distinct assemblies both of which focused on a theme of acting courageously in the face of life’s many obstacles. Blending a backdrop of movie/television images and current pop music the multi-media video presented a variety of scenarios that demonstrated how people can overcome disabilities or bullying situations by having the courage to face their fears. Each film segment pictured children or young adults facing significant challenges and overcoming those challenges through determined effort. DMS students were encouraged to think about obstacles they have in their own lives and how they can create a plan to overcome them. Concepts spotlighted during the presentations included:
“Too often we let our fears keep us from our triumphs.”
“Dare to move in the direction of your dreams.”
“Courage is not the absence of fear but the realization that there is something more important than our fear.”
“Courage is having the desire to improve who you are and to move beyond failure to achieve success.”
“Living courageously means standing up to those bullying others, encouraging those who need help, saying NO to drugs and alcohol, and being a friend to those in need of one.”
The Dare to Move message was pretty straight forward, “Dare to try, in the face of your fears.” The “Courage” assemblies came to a close as the Dare to Move presenters, along with Lorraine Reynolds, DMS Grade 4-6 counselor, highlighted a few key points with the student audience:
Think about a challenge you have in your life and make a plan to face it.
If you feel you are struggling with something that is too much for you to handle alone, go find an adult to help you.
Bullying: you guys can put an end to it. It is all about how we treat each other.
The Dare to Move message served as a fitting beginning to the Driver Middle School Samaritan Spirit Week which was held the week of January 24th. The Samaritan Spirit Week culminated with a “Dress to Impress Dance” on January 28th, with all funds raised going to the Samaritan Center. Daily Samaritan Spirit Week themes included Twin Day, Pajama Day, Superhero Day, Backwards Day, and Marcellus Mustang Day.