As I watch the staff at ZEDS prepare for another summer of Jr Joker training I am reminded why it started in the 1st place. The idea was to teach the skills and writing of comedy to children ages 12 - 17. They would learn set up and punchline, call back the 7 skills of joke, dealing with hecklers and group writing and participation. Sounded so easy.
Over the next 4 years 15 Jr Joker classes were run involving over 150 participants, 3 Board of Education Schools sponsored the events, radio, newspaper and TV tracked the progress. From mom's I heard glowing reviews of the method of instruction and results. From the kids I got grudging respect for the efforts and I learned kids are not funny.
I see the results of Jr Jokers in the person of Steele Duncan who will be running the class. Steele is a gifted artist stuck in the body of a comic as anyone who has witnessed his Harry Potter rap or Toys 'r Us set knows.
Kids who have the skill of stand up comedy have an advantage in life. Best of all it gets the whole family laughing. Of all the legacy project created by the CHEERS project Jr Jokers is one.
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