![Although being only one of the two oboe players in the school, freshman Elise Morton said she will continue playing the instrument throughout high school. “[Playing the oboe] makes me feel special because I know Im playing a rare instrument and I love having a challenge because there’s something to improve on and get even better,” Morton said.](https://lancerfeed.press/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Elise-Morton-Featured-Photo.jpg)
The Breakdown St. Louis STAR meeting on Feb. 18, had a clear message of abstinence which was conveyed through dance, music, multi-media, inspirational speaking and acting.
Speaker Sam Hand shared his life story about the struggles his wife and him faced when learning to forgive one another for their pasts. He encouraged students to respect their future spouses now by not engaging in sexual activity.
Breakdown St. Louis director Jenna Imergoot shared her testimonial as well. After having sex with her abusive high school boyfriend, Imergoot stayed in the relationship hoping things would get better. After attending college and becoming a professional cheerleader, Imergoot married her boyfriend after discovering she was pregnant. Trapped in an unhealthy marriage, Imergoot was unable to find courage to get help when facing death threats from her husband. However, today, Imergoot speaks out about her experience to help young students facing similar struggles. Imergoot ended her speech with the reason for her hardship, “Because I had sex with my boyfriend.”
The show’s dramatic scenes revolved around the lives of a teenage group of friends. One character experiences shock after receiving a letter he is positive for the HIV virus. Another actress portrays the struggles of reversing her negative reputation while another actress and actor portray an abusive relationship. The last subplot involves an unplanned pregnancy. The story concluded with three of the characters pledging abstinence.
Second year Breakdown St. Louis member Angelina Kelly said, “When I was in 7th Grade I saw the performance and thought it was awesome.”
Kelly said the group rehearses every Sunday from 2-5 p.m., including team time for visiting.
Kelly’s favorite part of being involved is, “All my teammates because we’re all like a big family. We’re breakdown sisters and breakdown brothers. Everyone is awesome and it’s so much fun.”
The group travels throughout St. Louis, performing for several high schools.
The performance offered a view into several different aspects of students’ lives while backing it up with concrete information. The dance choreography and dramatic interpretation identified with today’s teenagers which engaged them and intensified Breakdown’s message. Imergoot left the audience with encouraging words, ensuring them the past is the past. Overall, the combination of real-life scenarios and concrete data made it unique and meaningful.
