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By Allison Haught

Bear Tracks

With the recent rise of social media, cyberbullying has become a real problem in our world, especially in high schools across the nation.
In an attempt to shed light on this serious subject, the Harlan County High School Drama Club will start the year with a play called #Viral.
#Viral, by Maria McConville, will be performed for students and parents Oct. 18. The drama club will take this play to competition on Oct. 19 at Clay County High School.
In #Viral, six high school girls rehash a cruel locker room bullying incident that ends up going viral online. The students involved question their roles in the events that unfolded that day.
The leading roles are played by Ava Fields (Megan), Kylie Ward (Anna), Emilia Dunn (Deb), Emily Witt (Lucy) and Caley Meadows (Morgan).
The ensemble (#trolls) includes Allison Haught, Emma-Kay Williams, Jovi Tye, Hayley Johnson, Savannah Pennington, Eminee Hubbard, Addison Fields, Kailey Shepherd, and Bailey Dunn.
“I feel like this play is very relatable because it deals with social media and cyberbullying. I hear a lot of students in our school talk about problems they’re having with online bullying. I’m hoping that it starts a conversation and students are able to help guide staff into better ways to help them,” said drama club director Jennifer Freyer.
Freyer hopes students will take away important lessons from #Viral.
“That they’re not alone. There are several solutions, and we should practice kindness to one another,” she said, “Be mindful about not picking on someone because it can have lifelong consequences, even for the people who are not the victims of the bullying.”
“I feel like it will open people’s eyes to bullying. A lot of it goes unnoticed because we see it as just a joke,” said Jeremy Goldsberry, a drama club member, “I notice bullying more often around me after seeing it in #Viral.”
“I think when this very sensitive subject is vocalized, it recognizes kids who’ve had to experience this,” added drama club member Kaydence Wynn, “I think showing the effects of bullying and cyberbullying in front of a high school audience will help make sure kids don’t feel alone.”

(Allison Haught is a senior at Harlan County High School)