Posted on: Wednesday, September 18, 2002

Theater group wins national honors

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

The Honolulu Theatre for Youth's teacher education program has earned the group two national awards.

The American Alliance for Theatre and Education has awarded HTY the 2002 Lin Wright Special Recognition Award for its innovative curriculum, developed in partnership with the University of Hawai'i-Manoa's College of Education and the state Department of Education. The materials guide UH students who are studying to become teachers through two academic years of educational drama instruction. An evaluator with the National Endowment for the Arts said it is the only program of its kind.

HTY's drama education director Daniel A. Kelin II, drama educator Jamie Simpson and former drama education associate Steven Jones were part of the HTY team.

HTY playwright in residence Y York was named winner of the 2002 Charlotte B. Chorpenning Playwright Award, given annually to a writer of outstanding plays for children.