Zeal academy
Broadway, New York City.
2024
Veronica Disweet walked onto the stage wearing the Nigerian scout uniform. She is of average height, with smooth skin, a chubby face, big eyes, and reading glasses. She stood for a moment, waiting for the audience to settle down.
VERO: (clearing her throat) This story is about the life journey of Tintina Harrison and how she made it to Broadway. Some parts of this story take place in flashbacks when she was in secondary school in Nigeria at Zeal Academy.
The school is divided into three parts: the academic ground, the Scouts zone, and the juvenile detention facility. (The audience cheered) The academic ground, owned by private individuals, hosts pure academic-seeking students. Classrooms, the study hall, and the school conference hall are in this part of the school, allowing both the Scouters and juvenile inmates access. Three Peace Corps are hired to keep the academic students in line. (The audience laughed)
The Scouts zone, located at the center of the school and owned by the World Scout Foundation and the Girl Guides Association, is public. It includes the SportsCenter, the school public hospital, and religious temples. The basketball court, football field, and swimming pool are located in the Scout zone, allowing occasional use by academic students and juvenile inmates. (The audience cheered and clapped)
The juvenile detention facility, owned by the World Juvenile Federal Bureau of Prisons, is at the end of the school. It receives donations from politicians and powerful individuals whose kids have been posted there. The school cafeteria, known as the "mingleteria," brings all students together, including inmates, though those with severe sentences are separated. (The audience laughed)
Most juvenile inmates, after finishing their sentence, return to Zeal Academy as normal academic-seeking students. The school hosts a massive number of students, with three grounds and separate hostels for academic students, Scouters, and juvenile inmates. (The audience clapped)
The Scout hostel is divided into five, including two for boys and girls from the academic ground, two for external volunteers, and one for juvenile inmates who volunteer to scout. Rooms are separated by rank, and academic students volunteering as Scouters can choose their residence.
The juvenile detention room block has a severe block for longer sentences and a minor block for less dangerous inmates. All students, including Scouters and inmates, must wear their class uniform during class hours. Only Scouters and Girl Guides can wear their uniforms during lecture hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. (Two ladies joined Vero on stage, showcasing the uniforms) As you can see, these are the class uniforms for girls. Short sleeves for junior students and long sleeves for senior students. For boys, there's a blazer for prefects. The Scout uniform depends on the country, but since we're in Nigeria, most wear the Nigerian scout uniform. (The audience laughed) Now, the school compound wear. (A lady and a boy walked on stage in the school compound wear) These are worn by academic students after class hours, during evening lessons, and night prep. Scouters wear a white T-shirt and blue combat trousers during training, with the full scout uniform during parades. Girl Guides practice mostly with the music band. (The audience was amazed) Sportswear is worn by academic students and inmates during gym class or sports hours, from 3 to 5 pm, in the Scout zone. (A boy in an orange overall joined them on stage) This is what inmates wear as their prison uniform after class and during night prep. The school badge, a combination of a book and the scout sign chained to an anchor with the motto "care for young lives," is on all mentioned school wears. (The audience laughed) The school is led by the principal, scoutmaster, and warden, nicknamed the three heads by the students. (Audience laughed and cheered as the lights fade and curtain falls)