There are likely few teachers who have witnessed how the arts can help to heal wounds that little else can. One of those teachers, Melody Herzfeld, saw firsthand how tragedy can be overcome through the healing power of the arts.
Herzfeld is the fourth winner of the Excellence In Theatre Education Award (EITEA), accepting her honor at Radio City Music Hall in June 2018. She is the theater teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. To many, the name of the school is familiar because it was the site of a deadly shooting on Feb. 14, 2018, during which a former student invaded the school and killed 17 students and faculty members, wounding many others in the process. During the incident, Herzfeld hid 65 of her students in her office/classroom until authorities lead them to safety.