-Matilda Medaglia, Participant, CSI Options & Arrochar Friendship Club

This past year and a half has been very difficult for all of us. With the pandemic, we all have suffered, especially us, the seniors. We were in isolation and had nowhere to go. The Arrochar Senior Center which I belong to was closed. But, they were able to have Zoom classes, some of which were Music and Theater Appreciation that Christine and Victoria from Moonlight Productions taught. This helped me an awful lot. It was at these classes that I was made aware of the “CSI Options Program for Seniors.” I could take more Zoom classes at CSI, The College of Staten Island. Christine and Victoria made sure I had all the information I needed. If it were not for them and the confidence they had in me, I would not have done it. I took their classes at CSI. I have found that their method of teaching can be applied to real life. You take what they teach you and look at Theater differently. They teach you how much work goes into producing a play or making a movie–all the different jobs and the many people. I must say I have learned a lot about Theater from taking their classes. I also had the courage to take a few other classes. In closing, if you would had said to me six months ago that I would be taking classes at CSI my answer would have been “NO NOT ME”