Second Act

Shadrack Boakye is a talented playwright. But he once wondered if he would reach high school. His "first act" in life was harsh. Shadrack was born in Liberia, in West Africa. A civil war broke out there after he was born. So, Shadrack and his mother fled. When he was eight years old, Shadrack moved to New York to live with his father. At first, Shadrack was excited about New York. But learning English was a struggle. Kids at school made fun of him. Shadrack felt sad and lonely. Then Shadrack met a teacher named Mrs. Murphy. And his second act began. Mrs. Murphy told Shadrack that he was a great writer. She encouraged him to keep writing. As a result, he improved. Mrs. Murphy entered his essay in a contest. Shadrack won! Today, Shadrack runs a theater group. Because Mrs. Murphy once gave him hope, he now wants his plays to give others hope.