Marla Truini Receives the McCourt Prize for Teaching Excellence

Middlebury, Connecticut – Marla Truini, the Director of Westover’s Theater Program, was presented the Frank McCourt Prize for Excellence in Teaching on May 10th as part of the ASAP (After School Arts Program) 9th Annual Celebration of Young Writers & Benefit Auction, which was held at the Congregational Church in Washington.

Truini, who also serves as Westover’s Director of Outreach and its Parent Liaison, is currently on sabbatical at Southern Oregon University, where she is an Adjunct Professor of Drama, teaching a course on the plays of Arthur Miller. She returned to Ashland, Oregon, where she had earlier received her Master’s of Theater Arts degree. She has been a member of Westover’s faculty since 1999. The Roxbury resident also holds a B.S. from Georgian Court University.

Accepting the award on Truini's behalf were the two student heads of Westover’s drama club, senior Elizabeth Reed of Winchester and sophomore Amelia Bell of Lakeville. In a letter that the two students read on her behalf, Truini wrote, “I cannot think of a better vocation than that of teaching. My work as a theater educator, the plays I direct, and my students’ devotion and enthusiasm enrich my life in innumerable ways. I engage the power of theater to teach and transform lives, and I find myself transformed by the theater I see and the students I teach.

“The study of theater,” Truini stated, “engages our brains in unique and effective ways: it introduces us to new language, vocabulary, concepts; it invites us into the past, into places and persons in an historical context; it teaches empathy: how to know another person’s feelings, how to walk in another person’s shoes; it teaches compassion; how it feels to be ‘The Other.’ And yes, theater education has even been proven to raise reading levels and standardized test scores.”

Truini concluded, “I remain committed to teaching in the arts because I cannot think of anything that is more important for young people today. Young people need a place where they can find themselves; where they can find kindred spirits; where they can express themselves honestly; and where they can know that their voices are heard.”

Truini praised the “tremendous work” of ASAP, its Board of Directors, and its Executive Director, JoAnne Torti, “for providing the tools and the opportunities to all of the young writers, artists, and performers” who participate in its programs. She also thanked Westover’s Head of School Ann Pollina and Art Department Chair Bob Havery “for their unwavering support of the Westover Theater Program.” In expressing her appreciation for her husband, Joe, and her children, Kate and Chris, she noted that they share her love of theater. Truini also praised the veteran actress Lenka Peterson, “my mentor and friend, for her guidance and inspiration.”

The McCourt Prize for Excellence in Teaching honors the spirit of Frank McCourt, a teacher himself for some 30 years in New York City schools before he gained fame with the publication of his Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, Angela’s Ashes. Despite the immense success of this book and its two successors, ‘Tis and Teacher Man, Frank McCourt remained a teacher at heart. A resident of Roxbury, he supported ASAP and other local causes and was instrumental in establishing the Celebration of Young Writers. His widow, Ellen McCourt, is on the ASAP board, supports the award in memory of her late husband, and presented the award at this year’s event.

The chief goal of the McCourt Prize is to recognize teachers who have inspired students to become enthusiastic learners by devising imaginative assignments and techniques. A secondary goal is to find and promote ideas and practices that can be adopted by other teachers.

Those under consideration for the prize must submit an application, resume, a short description of what they have done to inspire students through creative and innovative tactics and planning, and a related lesson plan. The applications, descriptions, and lesson plans are read by an ASAP panel on a blind basis, with the names of candidates and their schools removed. For her application, Truini detailed her drama curriculum from the winter term: creating a student-written devised theater piece entitled Tales From the Mouth of the Golden Horse Head. The original play, which celebrates difference, was performed at Westover for two performances in February and is a finalist in the SNAPSHOTS Program writing contest.

Westover is a selective boarding and day school in Middlebury, Connecticut, with 205 students in grades 9-12 from 17 states and 20 countries. The School offers its students more than 20 Advanced Placement courses as well as signature programs in science, engineering, art history, and music.