Rockford siblings help spread positive messages across Illinois

Ballard family teens sing and dance to help other students.

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Author: Corina Curry, Rockford Register Star - Feb 3, 2014 - Rockford, IL

School looks a little different for the Ballard family of Rockford.

The youngest of three siblings, Landon, 14, is a freshman at Berean Baptist Christian School, but his older brother and sister, Leah, 16, and Luke, 18, are home-schooled.

On top of that, all three participate in a traveling performance troupe that takes positive messages to young people in schools across Illinois, Iowa & Wisconsin.

The Ballards are members of MWAH!, Messages Which Are Hopeful! The group performed at Rochelle Middle School late last year and will be at Rock Falls High School in Whiteside County later this month.

MWAH! member use song and dance woven together with skits on topics such as bullying, depression, divorce, drug addiction, discrimination, teen suicide and abusive relationships.

“I like that we’re spreading important messages”, Landon said. “Sometimes kids don’t know what to do when you’re being bullied. They don’t know that there are people who will help you out and help it stop.”

MWAH! performers range in age from 12 to 18. They attend 11 different schools in seven cities in Illinois.

Leah sings and plays piano, Luke plays bass and Landon plays guitar and drums. All three act.

Landon’s favorite skit includes a song called “Two Houses.” It’s about having divorced parents and the pressure of living in two houses.

“The students pay really good attention to that one,” he said. “You can see it in their faces that they get it.”

It’s not all serious, Landon said. The troupe likes to get the audience involved in the show. They do some skits that are funny.

“We do things to try to lighten the mood a little because we don’t want it to be all serious,” he said. “We try to include students in our performances. We try to relate to them.”

Corina Curry: 815-987-1371

ccurry@rrstar.com

@corinacurry