SILVERSTREET — “Litter trashes everyone; don’t do it.” Students at Reuben Elementary school heard that Palmetto Pride message thanks to puppeteers from the Columbia Marionette Theatre.

The marionettes were inclusive, with Marionette Tom’s marionette friend Kelly taking part from her wheelchair.

The puppeteers mixed in music, dance, talking trash cans and skits to get their message across. Even garbage took on a life of its own, morphing into creatures that danced across the stage, guilt tripped young Nancy into changing her litterbug ways and even interacted with the student audience.

By program’s end, a naughty littering marionette, named Nancy, had learned her lesson and promised never to litter again. Students took the Palmetto Pride Pledge to promise not to litter and to encourage family members to dispose of trash in proper containers. This performance, arranged by RES School Counselor Matthew Tepper, was a partnership with Palmetto Pride, who provides the performance free of charge to elementary schools in South Carolina.

This program, and its call for a community to combat littering, extended the RES SOAR mantra. SOAR: strive to do your best; own your actions; always work together; and respect yourself and others.

The marionettes even went into the audience and interacted with students at Reuben Elementary.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_RES-7-.jpgThe marionettes even went into the audience and interacted with students at Reuben Elementary. Kevin Boozer | For The Newberry Observer

Kevin Boozer for The Newberry Observer