POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Embracing the arts and giving students a well-rounded education is what this week’s A+ Teacher is all about.

Even though Covid-19 has closed the curtain for most plays in the theater, this week’s A+ Teacher, Lake Gibson High School Director of Theatre Arts Gregory Burdick, is adapting.

Burdick is making sure students have the confidence and courage to perform on stage and in life.

"Theater is extraordinarily important for social skills,” Burdick said. “For thousands of years we've used it to tell stories for people to come together and share stories."

But Burdick, a veteran playwright, director and 2-time Teacher-of-the-Year winner is keeping audiences connected to his teenage theater students.

And he's making sure everyone is safe.

"The dynamics of how close the kids can be. Being in masks. Limitations on rehearsal, proximity of how close they can be and how long that can be,” said Burdick, who has been teaching theater also 30 years.

He's directed nearly 100-plays...including his students' latest work, the virtual production, "Life in Quaranteen."

"One of the best things you can have under your belt, if you want to teach something, is to learn how to do it first,” he said. “You can't really teach something, unless you know how to do it first."

Burdick demonstrates all aspects of stage production but more than that, he's giving young adults confidence and courage to speak up and speak out, in any situation.

Right now, Burdick teaches both e-learners and classroom students in a face to face setting.

They're all drawn to his sincerity and positive energy.

"Going back to his ability as a director, to just relate to students, to get the best out of them, to get them out of their comfort zones and really learning how to discover themselves and Mr. Burdick is really open with them,” said Lake Gibson High Principal Ryan Vann. “You walk into his classroom and it's a different feel. He's never down, he's never sitting at his desk, there's always something happening. He always has that energy about him. Students want to be in his class."

His strong relationships lead to truthful scenes and higher self-esteem for students.

“(It’s) relationships with kids,” Burdick said.  “If the kids, if the kids don't believe that you care what happens to them, that you're invested in who they are, they're not going to care about whatever assignment you slide across the desk in the morning.

“There needs to be that relationship piece. We're talking about continually showing respect and care, and that you're interested in what happens to them, and that's really where good learning starts, and I learned all of that from every acting class I ever took."