Bradford students win tickets to see Hamilton!

Sharon Krasner loves introducing her students to new experiences and looks for opportunities where they can thrive.

“I wanted my students to gain an appreciation of theater and a deeper understanding of our country. As a teacher with certifications in both ELA and history, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to give kids a taste of something I deeply love – theater,” said Sharon Krasner, ELA and history teacher of Bradford Academy.

In July of 2018, Krasner submitted an application for her students to attend Hamilton. In early January, Krasner received word they had won and could take 50 students to the showing! Hasner was in shock and so excited for her students. This was a chance of a lifetime.

The next step was to identify which students would be able to attend. Ms. Burgess, Mr. Leunberger, Ms. Frost, Mr. Battaglia and Ms. Krasner got together and went through class lists looking for students who qualified based on GPA, behavior, attitude, etc. The students then met individually with the teachers to go over what the play was about, what a great opportunity it was and the project they would have to complete to portray the Founding Documents of the United States.

Twenty-six students completed the project and were able to attend the Broadway showing in downtown Detroit on April 18, 2019.

Here’s what they said about their experience:

“I love how the emotions are conveyed! They are so powerful and deep,” Mikayla, a ninth-grader said.

“Overall I thought the play was really well done. I enjoyed the theatrics and learned a lot,” Brian, an eleventh-grader said.

“The first act was a great background to lead up to the second act of the play, which really pulled my heartstrings!  Overall, it was just great-I would definitely see it again!” Jailyn, an eleventh-grader said.

“I love how they..feel determined to be known to the world!” Armani Horn said.

“I loved everything about it–it’s amazing! It’s a totally different experience when you’re seeing it to just hearing it,” Hailey Manson-Wilson a ninth-grader said.

The passion and deep commitment to student success continues to permeate from the teachers and staff at Bradford Academy. These twenty-six students were able to be part of something that is so rewarding. Thank you, Ms. Krasner, for making this a reality. Below is a list of the students who attended: