Project Awake aims to help students confront challenges

• In grade school, I discovered that I had the ability to inspire and encourage others.
• A touring production I co-created confronted issues like bullying, sexual assault, substance abuse and racism.
• AbrasiveMedia is beginning a new program, Project Awake, that will highlight students' common challenges.

This year one out of four students will be bullied, one out of eight girls will be sexually assaulted, 60 percent of students will have easy access to drugs or alcohol, 20 percent of students will commit self-harm, and some will attempt to end their own lives. These statistics are more than just numbers; they tell a story about the realities students face each day. Their story, your story, our story. So what are we going to do about it?

By the eighth grade I was well adept at dealing with bullies by defusing aggressive situations (thanks, Sensei Jones). That year I convinced several friends to do a martial arts exhibition with me at the school talent show. After weeks of rehearsals, we performed a fight scene with me facing off against a squad of ninja assassins. In the end, standing over my defeated foes with the entire student body erupting in cheers, I decided to do something unplanned. I helped my friends to their feet, took the microphone from the principal and addressed the audience. I challenged my peers to look beyond fighting as an option for settling disputes, to reach out to people they didn’t know, to consider other’s perspectives and to become the generation that ends violence and wars.

Was it naively grand? Sure. Did it make a difference? Yes!

Suddenly my peers, even my former bullies, began opening up to me about their struggles and insecurities. I discovered that I was able to encourage others, inspire them and help them see the best in themselves. I discovered my super power — the ability to make a positive change in my school’s culture and in the lives of my classmates.

Just out of high school, shortly after the Columbine massacre, I co-created a theatrical production that traveled to schools across the U.S. and Canada. We helped students confront the issues of bullying, sexual assault, substance abuse, racism and peer pressure. The show toured for two years, helping thousands of students discover their inner super hero and make their schools a better and safer place for everyone.

Today, I co-run abrasiveMedia, a nonprofit organization that helps Nashville artists grow, connect, produce and give back to the community. Since 2004 we’ve created and hosted live performances, gallery showings, community events, classes and resident artist programs. This year, we’re beginning a program that will bring me back to a passion I’ve had since that eighth grade talent show: enter Project Awake.

Project Awake will be a multi-disciplinary theatrical production to be performed live at school assemblies. The show will highlight students' common challenges and the effects their choices have on one another. Our goal is to create an artistic work designed to inspire students to realize their similarities and gain respect for their differences. We’re also planning to partner with organizations that offer support for young people and opportunities to use their talents and abilities to engage in their communities.

As a nonprofit organization we depend on public and private funding to continue our work in the community. We plan to produce Project Awake during the 2016-17 school year and we’re seeking additional funding to complete the production on schedule. Open auditions for additional cast and crew positions will be held at abrasiveMedia, time/dates TBD.

For more information, contact Justin Harvey at abrasiveMedia (awake@abrasiveMedia.org).

Justin Harvey is founder and creative director at abrasiveMedia in Nashville.