By Jolene FarleyClimb Theatre brought a message about respect to Hills-Beaver Creek High School Tuesday.Professional actors performed interactive dramas that taught students respectful behaviors, including respect of things, respect of others and respect of self. "Respect is a choice," the actors told students. "You don’t have to be disrespectful. You can create a community where people listen to each other."Through the skits, students learned how to recognize disrespectful behavior in their own and each other’s conduct. They were encouraged to create a classroom civility code fostering a caring, cooperative school.Climb Theatre, based in the Twin Cities, is a pioneer in "instructive theatre," a unique and accessible type of theater that empowers students to examine and change their thinking or behavior in ways that benefit themselves and society in general."Theatre is a very powerful tool for promoting change," Climb Producer Ralph Remington said. "Students learn strategies to improve their lives – all while being engaged as a participatory audience." Climb Theatre’s programming is available in a variety of formats, including plays, interactive classroom activities, and professional development workshops for students and administrators.More schools are seeking assistance in helping youth create and support a respectful community in and outside the classroom, according to Climb Theatre’s founder Peg Watli. "Our programs reached nearly 300,000 students last year," Watli said. "Now in our 30th year, I believe our programming is the best it’s ever been." During the 2003-04 school year, Climb Theatre presented programs to more than 58,000 students in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, North Dakota and South Dakota.