BERKELEY MIDDLE STUDENTS GET 'IN TOO DEEP'

Several Berkeley Middle School students decided it wasn't enough for them
to stay away from drugs and alcohol. They needed to get the message out to
other students.

"We wanted to do more," said Mark Spencer, an eighth-grader. "We decided to
give them a musical to tell them to share the message of what making the
right choice is."

Debbie Rowden, director for TREND (Turning Resources and Energy into New
Directions), said the students worked hard writing the lyrics and script,
and making scenery, costumes and masks.

Music teacher David Williams put the lyrics to music.

"They worked every single day for two hours after school," Rowden said.
"They completed 812 service hours working toward this."

They performed their original production May 21 for parents, family members
and other students.

Marcus Spencer, Mark's twin brother, said all the work was worth it.

"It helped children pay attention," Marcus said. "It helped them understand
they should not use drugs, stay in school and expand their minds as much as
they can."

Student Jamal Jones said he joined TREND because he knew people who took drugs.

"I thought most drug addicts are on drugs because of not having nothing
else to do," Jamal said. "I need something to do rather than take drugs and
kill myself slowly."

The musical took place underwater, and each character was a sea creature.

Michael LaCurtis, a seventh-grader, played a character called Blowfish Bob.

"He goes around bothering people for drugs," Michael said.

"I was a hammerhead shark," Mark said. "I was a crack shell dealer, and I
was arrested."

Marcus' character, Larry the Lobster, wasn't as fortunate.

"He was a nice and funny character, but he had peer pressure to try drugs,"
Marcus said.

Although he doesn't want to try drugs, Larry gives in to peer pressure and
tries drugs.

"He ended up dying," Marcus said.

The students said they thought the musical would help other students make
the right choices.

"They can take the story and use it to relate to real life," Michael said.

Rowden combined two programs to help put on the musical - Music, Words,
Opera and TREND.