In 1985, to help deal with these problems and their underlying causes, Donna Fjelstad, assistant to the state superintendent for the South Dakota Department of Education, introduced improvisational theater to the state.
Improv trainees come from all backgrounds, from the most advantaged to the most deprived.
They, along with 20 previously trained troupes, reached several thousand children, adolescents and adults throughout the state with hundreds of performances and discussions. Improv troupes are selected for training based on a mix of age, gender, ethnicity, culture, risk level and experience with the program, as well as their organization's commitment to support Improv throughout the year. Trainees are at lower risk of destructive behavior than statewide averages but are at risk nevertheless. Among examples of their resiliency, all are still in school, many possess leadership skills and all have the support of an adult in the organization that sponsored their participation. Improv is a program of the South Dakota Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, which receives funding from the federal government for the prevention, intervention and treatment of alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse in South Dakota.