By Ashley St. Michel
Staff Writer
    This weekend, Project AWARE teamed up with Video Creations of Kennebunk, for the groups’ second movie titled, “Untold Stories.”        
The teen theater group addresses issues concerning young people through stage and video performances. This year’s movie addresses harassment and bullying in schools as a follow up to their first DVD, “Falling,” which dealt with prescription drug abuse. Video Creations is filming and editing it.
    “Last year was huge for Project AWARE,” Video Creations co-Owner Lee Cote said. “They reached a lot of people. Everyone has their song and dance and skit, but there is a lot of drive and determination in the group.”
    The group is comprised of eight Thornton Academy students, Marissa Breton, Shannon Folsom, Adam Gallant, Megan Hanson, Kevin Lannan, Alyssa McCourt, Katie Moskowitz and Dana Tripp. Hanson, a senior and director of the movie said she got involved to get a message out to young people about these issues.
    “It’s a community service group,” Hanson said. “It’s a good way to give back to the community.”
    The group got started on the project through a junior player for project AWARE. Junior members are those students who aren’t yet in high school but are interested in becoming a part of the project. McCourt, a first year member, said she has dealt with issues surrounding bullying. While in middle school, McCourt said she was bullied and harassed. She said it took her two to three years to realize what was happening to her wasn’t OK and wasn’t her fault. When McCourt approached the group about the issue, they immediately got on board.
    According to Department of Justice data, in 2003 seven percent of students ages 12 to 18 reported being bullied at school during the previous six months. Public school students were more likely to report being bullied than private school students. The 2003 study also found that as the students’ ages increased, the likely hood of bullying decreased.
    In 2005, Gov. John Baldacci signed a bill into law aimed at preventing bullying in schools. Maine became the eighteenth state to enact legislation that deals with bullying, harassment, including sexual harassment, in schools. The law required school boards to define bullying, harassment and sexual harassment and to develop new policies to deal with the behaviors by September 2005.
    “The more I started learning about the issue, the more I found it was really something bad,” Fourth Year member and Artistic Facilitator Marissa Breton said. “I started really becoming passionate about it.”
    “Untold Stories” is written, directed and performed by the teenagers. The movie explores the feelings young people have when they are being harassed. Video Creations will start filming the movie Oct. 27. Project AWARE Coordinator Carl Lakari said the movie helped, “get us (adults) out of the way as adults.” He said the move was, “a lesson on holding myself back as an adult and not taking control.”
    Hanson said the movie will focus on harassment in middle schools and its effect and impact it has on kids behind closed doors. She said the film will be comprised of two distinct characters’ stories and will show what these young teens have to deal with as a result. Hanson said the story will specifically show the common paths victims follow as a means of escape from the reality of their lives.
    According to Lakari and the players, the project works to empower young people to lead in their communities addressing issues concerning their lives. The project uses presentations through theater, music, voice, dance and film to inform people.
    Breton said Project AWARE isn’t just the crowd learning new things as the performances.
    “Project AWARE is a big part of my life,” she said. “It’s also a big part of maturing for all of us.”
    Lakari said he could see the maturing process in the whole team.
    “Megan was into drama, then became the lead in “Falling” and now she is the director of “Untold Stories,” he said. “There has been a lot of progress in this group. They are constantly challenging themselves.”
    A few of those challenges include being a full time student, having a social life, attending extra curricular activities and being a player.
    “They really have their plates filled to the brim,” Cote said. “But they still make time for this project.”
Breton says she allows herself one to two hours a night dedicated to the project and usually winds up finishing her homework in the morning.
    “Right now it’s a priority,” she said. “There is a lot to do right now, and it’s worth it because I haven’t burned out yet.”
    Hanson said her schedule is overwhelming including being captain of the cross country team, a member of the student council and director of the movie.
    “I like doing it,” she said. “Just to see this thing that you produced.”
    Video Creations co-Owner Blake Baldwin said the filming and editing takes more than 250 hours.
    “As a company we spend the better part of a month on and off doing production work,” he said. “Then there is the lengthy editing project that ensues.”
    Baldwin said every few weeks he meets with the players in an, “all hands on” meeting. Baldwin said the group has had talks about paying Video Creations for their time.
    “Last year they didn’t pay us but they reimbursed us for out-of-pocket expenses,” Baldwin said. “This year they are talking about coming up with some money to pay us. We may take some of it to offset some of the expendables.”
    Some of those expendables include paying for the music rights.
    “If we are paid we may take the money and contribute it to the acquisition of music rights,” Baldwin said. “We would love to be able to buy the rights of the music we use. The music really drives what the kids are putting together.”
    Baldwin said they will continue to work with the group indefinitely.
    “I marvel as the amount of time these kids have put into leading their lives,” Baldwin said. It’s amazing they have all those other things to do and then they take on this project. It’s a lot of fun to see what they have come up with. They do a tremendous amount of work.”