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Messages Which Are Hopeful..... MWAH!

Messages which are hopeful...healthy...and hard to forget. Messages of energy...emotion...and creative thought. Messages from young people on a mission. A mission to stimulate others to think and to react in ways which are positive. A mission to influence others through the performing arts - dance...theatre...song...and mime - as well as through discussion and by example.

Two appearances during the spring of 2013 by the MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe in Menard County, northwest of Springfield - Athens High School in Athens on March 18th and PORTA High School in Petersburg on April 8. Athens and MWAH! dancers in upper left, PORTA and MWAH! dancers in lower left, and the troupe in upper right at Athens with (front row from left) Mary Kay Mace, Kay Daniel, and Bill Reed. Mary Kay Mace's daughter, Ryanne, was the youngest of the five students shot to death at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb on Valentine's Day of 2008; Kay Daniel heads the Menard County School and Community Task Force, sponsor of the troupe's two Menard County appearances; and Bill Reed is the principal of Athens High School and coordinator for the troupe's visit to his school.
(photo collage by Jeremy Reed of Impact Life Photography)
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Following its performance as part of the Livingston County Operation Snowflake retreat on March 9, 2013 the MWAH! troupe visited the Route 66 museum in downtown Pontiac, Illinois. From left are Chad Sype, Justice Henderson, Joshua Payne, Jacob Metoyer, Ashley Stonehouse, Sarah Saltiel, Taylor Oechsel, John Hix, Chris Oechsel, Jake Smith,
and Rob Delgado.
(photo by Jeremy Reed of Impact Life Photography)
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It was a snow day for the MWAH! troupe outside Abbott Middle School in Elgin, Illinois on February 28, 2013. In front (from left) are Chad Sype, Taylor Oechsel, Landon Ballard, and Luke Ballard. Standing behind them are Alex Oechsel, Rachel Plasch, Jacob Metoyer, Jake Smith, Leah Ballard, John Hix, Justice Henderson, Joshua Payne, and Rob Delgado.
(photo by Jeremy Reed of Impact Life Photography)
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MWAH! troupe members at a riverfront park in downtown Davenport, Iowa on January 23, 2013 following their keynote presentation and workshops as part of the 27th annual Quad Cities Youth Conference. From left are Joshua Payne, Alex Oechsel, Luke Ballard, Ashley Stonehouse, Leah Ballard, Justice Henderson, Taylor Oechsel, Landon Ballard, Rachel Plasch, Rob Delgado, John Hix, Sarah Saltiel, and Jacob Metoyer.
(photo by Jeremy Reed of Impact Life Photography)
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For two separate video slideshows of additional photos of the MWAH! troupe's participation in the 2013 Quad Cities Youth Conference please click Here .

Outside the River Center in downtown Davenport, Iowa - site for the Quad Cities Youth Conference on January 23-24, 2013 - are MWAH! troupe members (from left) Leah Ballard, Taylor Oechsel, Joshua Payne, Luke Ballard, Sarah Saltiel, Jacob Metoyer, John Hix, Rob Delgado, Ashley Stonehouse, Rachel Plasch, Alex Oechsel, Landon Ballard, and Justice Henderson.
(photo by Jeremy Reed of Impact Life Photography)
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MWAH! troupe members inside the Skybridge in downtown Davenport, Iowa on a frigid January 23, 2013 following their keynote presentation and workshops at the nearby River Center, site for the 27th annual Quad Cities Youth Conference involving high school and middle school students from throughout the Quad Cities area of southeast Iowa and northwest Illinois. In the background is the Centennial Bridge, which connects Davenport with Rock Island on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River.
(photo by Jeremy Reed of Impact Life Photography)
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Two views from a wooden foot-bridge near the Marseilles Elementary School in Marseilles, Illinois where the MWAH! troupe appeared September 10, 2012.

Shown standing (from left) are Leah Ballard, Jacob Metoyer, Alex Oechsel, Ashley Stonehouse, Taylor Oechsel, Jake Smith, Nick Miesuk, Rachel Plasch, Justice Henderson, Sarah Saltiel, and Rob Delgado.

(photos by Jeremy Reed of Impact Life Photography)
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The MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe following its performance for about 700 students and staff members on December 3, 2012 at Palos South Middle School in Palos Park, Illinois

In the front beneath the MWAH! banner is Landon Ballard.
Holding the banner are John Hix and Ashley Oechsel.
Behind the banner are (from left) Rob Delgado, Joshua Payne, Alex Oechsel, and Jacob Metoyer.
In the top row are Sarah Saltiel, Rachel Plasch, Leah Ballard, and Justice Henderson.

(photo by Lakeisha Davis-Brooks of V.O.E. Photography of Matteson, Illinois)
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The MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe following its presentation at Galesburg High School on October 9, 2012. Participating were the moms of two teenagers killed in a single car crash near Wataga, northeast of Galesburg, on August 10, 2011 - Dustin Frazier and Quinn Dombrow. The teens, who were best friends, had been GHS students. Dustin's mom, Cindy Burns, is second from left, and Quinn's mom, Heather Briscolino, is fourth from right. Kneeling behind a photo of Dustin and Quinn is Marcus Ross, a GHS senior who participated in the performance.
(photo by Jeremy Reed of Impact Life Photography)
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A sunny day...a gentle breeze...and lots of falling leaves! It was beautiful fall weather outside Galesburg High School following a performance by the MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe on October 9, 2012.
(photo by Jeremy Reed of Impact Life Photography)
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A show of patriotism by the MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe from the inside looking out at Galesburg High School following its presentation on October 9, 2012.
(photo by Jeremy Reed of Impact Life Photography)
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From throughout the Chicago area as well as other parts of Illinois, the youthful performing artists - because of their diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds - convey a message of hope and promise for the future. Their repertoire reflects the changing times in which we all live. Among the issues are finding healthy alternatives to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs; resolving abusive relationship problems associated with bullying, jealousies, and control; eliminating discrimination stemming from differences among people; and developing coping skills when confronted with negative peer influences and low self-esteem.

MWAH! executive producer is Ray Moffitt. The troupe has been incorporated in Illinois as KDC/MWAH! Inc. (Kids Do Count/Messages Which Are Hopeful!), a not-for-profit, 501c3 registered charitable organization, and is an affiliate of the Chicago Area Project (CAP), which is part of a statewide community services network targeting at-risk youth and their families.

 TEEN HELP HERE!

Recent articles and videos about MWAH!

The song 'Sticks and Stones' Here as performed November 17, 2012 by MWAH! artists Jacob Metoyer (keyboard and vocals) and Sarah Saltiel (viola) at the Homewood-Flossmoor High School Operation Snowball retreat at Camp Manitoqua in Frankfort, Illinois. The song was written by Jacob, based on some of his experiences as a teenager living in Texas, then later in Illinois.

(photo by Jeremy Reed from MWAH! performance on September 10, 2012 at Marseilles Elementary School in Marseilles, Illinois)

For a news video which aired on WCIS-TV (ABC, Channel 20 in Springfield) on the troupe's appearance November 5, 2012 at Glenwood High School in Chatham, Illinois please click Here (#57) .

For a story in The Register-Mail about the MWAH! appearance at Galesburg High School on October 9, 2012 please click Here.

• A Video of the song 'Fix You' as performed October 9, 2012 at Galesburg High School by MWAH! artists Rob Delgado, Rachel Plasch, Jake Smith (vocalists), Luke Ballard, and Ashley Stonehouse (guitarists). (video compliments of Galesburg High School) Here – (Then click on video line #59)
and
• A video of the song 'We Belong Together' from Galesburg High School Here – (Then click on video line #58)

For a news video from the Galesburg High School appearance which aired on WHOI-TV (ABC) and WEEK-TV (NBC), based in Peoria, please click Here (#56).

Please click Here for a WAND-TV (NBC) news video (#55) about the MWAH! performance on September 24, 2012 at St. Matthew Catholic School in Champaign, Illinois, involving students in grades 6-8 from St. Matthew School and Holy Cross School in Champaign and St. Thomas School in Philo.

For photos by Greg Taylor Photography from the St. Matthew Catholic School performance please click Here.

A radio news interview Here with MWAH! artist Jake Smith by Jason Thompson of WCMY (1430 a.m.) in Ottawa, Illinois about plans for a troupe performance at Marseilles Elementary School in Marseilles, Illinois on September 10, 2012

For a story in The Times about the MWAH! appearance in Marseilles on September 10, 2012 please click Here.

For a story in the Morris Daily Herald about the MWAH! appearance in Marseilles please click Here.

(photo by Larry Fisher/Quad-City Times) Bigger

• WHBF–TV (CBS - Channel 4) – (#54) Here
  
• WQAD–TV (ABC - Channel 8) – (#53) Here
  
• Quad–City Times – Here
  
• The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus – Here
  
• News release – Here
  

(photo by Steve Smedley/The Pantagraph ) Bigger

• Story from WCIA-TV (CBS – Channel 3) Here
• Video from WCIA-TV (CBS – Channel 3) – #47 Here
  
• Video from WICD-TV (ABC – Channel 15) – #48 Here
  
• Story from The Pantagraph – Here
  
• Story from LeRoy–Farmer City Press– in Champaign-Urbana Here
  

• WEEK-TV (NBC – Channel 25 in Peoria)
  video – Here – (Then click on video line #50)


• WEEK-TV (NBC – Channel 25 in Peoria)
  video – Here – (Then click on video line #49)


• WMBD-TV (CBS – Channel 31 in Peoria and Bloomington) 5pm news
  video – Here – (Then click on video line#51)


• WMBD-TV (CBS – Channel 31 in Peoria and Bloomington) 6pm news
  video – Here – (Then click on video line #52)

• A story published in WEEK-TV (NBC) of Peoria, Illinois may be viewed Here
• Stark County students cope with MWAH! help – Peoria Journal Star of March 13, 2012 – Here
• MWAH! assembly hits close to home at Stark County High School – Star Courier of Kewanee, Illinois may be viewed Here


• The Stark County News in Toulon, Illinois – March 22, 2012, may be viewed Here