Two Willowbrook students earn ICED 2014 Media Award

On May 20, Willowbrook seniors Addie Maggard and Alex Bardesi were honored for their work in the production of “High School Musical Jr.” earlier this school year.

The production was performed by Willowbrook and Addison Trail students with special needs, who were accompanied by their fellow classmates. Maggard helped direct the play, and Bardesi was the production manager.

For their efforts, Maggard and Bardesi were selected as the recipients of the Interagency Committee on Employees with Disabilities (ICED) 2014 Media Award and were recognized during a ceremony on May 20 in Springfield. That ceremony honors the achievements of those who have done an outstanding job of providing equal opportunity and access to people with disabilities.

“The ‘High School Musical Jr.’ production would not have been possible without Maggard and Bardesi,” said Erik Engel, Willowbrook social worker and director of the play. “Their involvement was instrumental in the success of the performance. They were there almost every day for four months, helping the actors learn their lines and the music. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

“High School Musical Jr.” was seen by about 1,400 people in one day on Aug. 29, 2013. As a follow-up event, Willowbrook hosted an Academy Awards-style night for the “High School Musical Jr.” cast and crew. The event was a multimedia production, where students received Oscar-like awards, and acceptance speeches were given.