English teacher Alana Caires said she began her acting journey in elementary school, performing in a musical production of “Hansel and Gretel.” Now, that journey has come full circle as she takes over the drama department after retired drama teacher Leslie Lloyd’s 23 years of leadership. 

“[I’ve done theater] since I was in elementary school to high school and then a little bit in college,” Caires said. “Before college, I considered being a drama teacher, but I never thought I would actually get a job being a drama teacher, yet here we are.”

In her new role, Caires said she hopes to empower students to step out of their comfort zones and take on leadership roles in class. 

“[The students] should be at the center of what we’re doing in drama,” Caires said. “[We’ll start to see] more opportunities for them to take risks in more challenging positions.”

In addition, Caires said she plans to bring together students from the drama, band and choir classes to reintroduce the spring musical, which was last held before the pandemic. Other productions, including a final performance for the beginning drama class, may also take place in the future, Caires added.

Drama club member Jackson Reavis said he is excited to have a new drama teacher with a new voice. 

“Every director is different, every teacher is different,” Reavis, a junior, said. “We’ll definitely have to guide [Caires] through drama, because we have a lot of traditions. But we will also learn to adapt instead of just hanging on to the past.”

Senior Hera Gatto, a student in Caires’s English class last year, said Caires is kind, understanding and supportive. 

“She will bring a really positive energy to the drama department because she is a very positive person,” Gatto said. 

In her first year leading the drama department, Caires said she is excited to see the energy and motivation of her students. As the advisor of drama club, Caires is looking forward to the bonds formed by shared theater experiences, she added.

“Performing in shows together and being really vulnerable with each other leads to a bond that is something that you don’t experience in a lot of other places,” Caires said. “I’m looking forward to getting to nurture that community in drama.”