Pinecrest Elementary School teacher Roberta Brand is going to be a tough act to follow.

Director of the Pinecrest Drama Club, Brand was the inspiration behind the group’s successful and popular productions for many years. She retired this summer.

As an elementary education major in college, Brand found the arts very important.

"Both of my parents wrote poetry. I always loved the theater."

Her love of the arts captivated and influenced the students she taught.

"I tell them ‘You can do this.’"

The children believe her. The drama club at one point had up to 70 children when Pinecrest had a sixth grade. This year there were 43 students and all were in the play.

"This is an opportunity to belong to something," Brand said.

No one is turned away. All of the students seemed thrilled to be in the play, whatever their character or roll. Membership in the club teaches experience in writing resumes, learning about props and developing talent in creating scenery. Students learn to memorize and blossom with confidence by performing on stage. The Drama Club is a big commitment in time for both Brand and the students. In her 20th year of teaching, Brand recalled it as a fabulous career. She was a fourth and fifth grade teacher for the Challenge Center, which is the gifted program at Pinecrest.

Since her arrival at Pinecrest nine years ago, Brand had been working with the drama students and contributing extra time to put on plays such as Bye Bye Birdie, The Little Mermaid, The Wizard of Oz, Grease and The Secret Garden.

"I have always had a great deal of help. The people who help are like a community."

Parents lend assistance and alumni of the school and Drama Club looked forward to returning each year to help their teacher and mentor.

"They come back," she said.

Her smile broadened as she pointed out alumni Hanie Elfenbein, Fleissa Elfenbein, Andrea Lopez, Matt Bohrer and Jillian Katz — all willing assistants.

"It’s been fun for seven years. It’s fun to work with the kids. We are all going to miss this," said alumnus Matt Bohrer.

Several of the students are now in schools such as Southwood Middle pursuing the arts.

Felicia Elfenbein was in the very first production. She is now a sophomore in college. Her experience has led her to the study of education. Felicia said she, too, wants to be a teacher.

"Mrs. Brand puts in a lot of extra time. We learned how to work with children."

Jillian Katz, another alumna and a student at Southwood, reflected on her performances with the Drama Club and the rolls she played. She knows auditioning can be tough on some students, especially those wanting a lead part. Brand made every student a star.

"I learned teamwork. I was never sad being in the chorus," Katz said.

Ellen Kaplan, one of the audition judges, recalled Brand’s energy and commitment.

"She brings out the creativity in each student. We had wonderful field trips also to the opera and other places."

Brand looked back on her years of teaching.

"I love teaching. It is special every year."

And she is a very special teacher. She won the Pinecrest Elementary School Teacher of the Year for the year 2000.

This year’s performance, Pocahontas, reminds Roberta Brand of the legacy she leaves behind at Pinecrest and throughout the school system. Commissioned by Florida International University she and Margie Bookbinder wrote a curriculum guide to teach every fourth or fifth grader about The Holocaust, beginning in 2000. These same lessons are evident in Pocahontas.