As teachers, we were concerned about the mental health of our students during this difficult time. We chose to focus on Hamlet to address mental health and suicide prevention. We encouraged our team to answer Hamlet's question "To be or not to be" with a resounding: "to BE!!!" We asked them what they want to BE in their lives. Here are their answers: kind, creative, present, happy, brave, unique, a family, peaceful, loving, thoughtful, hopeful, a light, a healer, encouraging, open, ME, fun, ready, generous, silly, joyful, strong, grateful, a friend, successful, empathetic. Our dance presents the feelings of isolation experienced as they were shut off from normal daily life, friends and family, as well as the change of emotion as we have grown together and become stronger through creativity, flexibility and hope.

In dark times in our lives we often struggle to reach out for help. We are not sure who to trust. But there will always be others there to help us if we look for them. When we finally accept their love and support we are lifted up and our burdens are lighter. As we studied Hamlet this year, we looked for ways we could answer the question "To be or not to be" with a resounding: "to BE!" We know we cannot do it alone, and that we must each help those around us to look for reasons and ways to keep going during difficult times.

This year, because of Covid-19, we were not able to compete in person down at Southern Utah University.  Instead, we filmed our competition pieces and submitted them online.  This is a YouTube playlist of our actual entries:
Sweet Harmony's SUU Shakespeare Competition Team 2020 Videos