CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Sophia Trout, a senior at Midlothian High School loved performing in Midlothian High School’s latest production, Peter and the Star Catcher.
"Peter and the Star Catcher is the prequel to Peter Pan," Trout said. "Basically how the Lost Boys come to Neverland. How Peter gets his name because he starts out as an orphan."
It seems appropriate their drama teacher would choose this particular production, after all, she doesn’t want to grow up either.
For the past 45 years, Ms. Katherine Baugher has been teaching kids about theater and film/tv production.
Like Peter Pan, she has a trick to staying young.
"I feel young because the kids always stay the same age." Baugher said. "So I figure I am too."
But like Captain Hook, she can also hear the clock ticking.
"I thought for years that when somebody came in and said 'You taught my father' I'd say okay, I'm done. Not too long ago somebody told me, 'You taught my grandfather.' So it's pretty amazing," she said.
Baugher doesn’t care if any of her students become professional actors, she wants them to use what they’re learning in class to succeed in any career.
"Bottom line for us is, what can learning about how to communicate your thinking by using our medium do for you as a human being?"
Sophia said she was going to take what she has learned from Ms. Baugher to college with her. She’d like to become a journalist one day.
"I've learned to trust her instincts," Trout said. "Be confident in what you do and if you're going to make a mistake, make it big. Better to go full out than hold yourself back."
Ms. Baugher will tell you that’s how you catch a star.
