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Jugglers (left to right) Frizzell Devers, Brighton Bagley, and Anderson Montaya are in the Prescott Circus Theatre ?after-school performing arts education program at Laurel Elementary School. Photo by Renais Winter. Click to enlarge.

After ten years at Laurel Elementary School, the Prescott Circus Theatre may have to take out the clowns. The Prescott Circus Theatre after-school performing arts education program has served Oakland youth for 28 years. Founded by Aileen Moffitt at the Prescott Elementary School, the program has expanded to seven other schools, including Laurel Elementary, offering intensive training with professional artists as well as the experience of performing at over 50 community events annually. Students learn juggling, acrobatics, unicycling, stilting, Hambone body percussion, balancing, and clowning while developing their own performance pieces. The economic downturn and recent budget cuts have squeezed the funding out of all but the most basic programs, leaving Laurel Elementary School without the resources to pay for the circus arts program. “We don’t want to scale back,” said Prescott Circus Theatre executive director, David Hunt, “especially at a time when funding for enrichment programs is disappearing. This program meets so many of the kids’ needs—it’s physical and athletic, and it doesn’t matter what size or shape you are. Everyone finds a way to shine.”

Ceara Walton started as a student at Prescott Circus Theatre in fourth grade, came back in the eleventh grade to volunteer, and now works for the program as an instructor at Laurel and at Prescott schools. “I’m an inner-city kid,” Walton recalled, “and I never thought I could do these things. The program got me out of Oakland. We performed at an auction, at the mayor’s inauguration. We went to places we only saw on TV. It was an eye opener.”

Moffitt, Hunt, and Walton all agree that the program is not just about clowning around. On the board in the auditorium during Monday’s class, three words framed the day’s lesson—perseverance, endurance, and unity. “We expect a lot of these kids,” said Hunt. Kids learn responsibility and accountability. One of the most important skills taught is accurate self-assessment or, as Walton describes it, “know what you can do and what you can’t do…yet.” Other less obvious skills learned in the program include self-reliance and self-esteem and how to provide support for yourself and others. It started as an after-school clown class but it has become a model youth development program offering life skills, contact with adult role models, and a connection to the community. As Walton put it, “We can’t let the legacy be broken. The show must go on.”

To contact Prescott Circus Theatre call 967-0355, or go to www.prescottcircus.org where you can make a donation or hire the company for an event.

Other Laurel News

Coming soon—Everett and Jones will be opening a BBQ restaurant on MacArthur Blvd. at the former site of Daniel’s Restaurant.

AMG is back—The Senior Housing Development project put forward by AMG, a southern California development company, will be submitting an environmental impact report to the city as the next step in pursuing the creation of 110-120 units of low income senior housing on the empty lot on High and MacArthur Blvd. in the Laurel District. Look for notices of a public hearing at the planning commission early next year.