Well everyone, I'm back. And since I'm back, we better get Scene 2 of Act 1 underway. The first scene of Act 1 was all about a song based on "Bikini Bottom Day" from the real-life "SpongeBob SquarePants" musical. The musical number was long, and also had dialogue and scenery transitions in-between musical verses. But the song did do it's job of not only starting off the show, but it also introduced many well-known "Hey Arnold" main characters and side characters as well. And now, in Scene 2 of Act 1, everyone will head to their homeroom classroom for the beginning of their last day of the school year. Well, what are we all waiting for?! Let's begin Scene 2 of Act one of this brand-new musical story of mine...

(As the cheering dies down, the school bell rings, and Principal Wartz enters stage left..)

Prinicpal Wartz: Alright students, get to class! Now! (exits stage right)

(All of students move around in various directions. As they do, the set changes to a setting that looks like Mr. Someone's classroom. Several desks appear on stage via opening trapdoors and hydraulic lifts. As the students sit down in the desks and mess around for fun, Mr. Simmons enters stage right toward the back of the stage where the chalkboard is located. Everyone quiets down a little as they see Mr. Simmons enter...)

Mr. Simmons: Good morning, class. (places breifcase on his desk) Well, I know today is the last day of school. Yes, I'm excited about that myself. You see, I plan to teach surfing lessons over the summer, as well as swimming lessons. But anyways, enough about me...(opens breifcase) as I have an important announcement to make. (Takes USB jump drive out from brifcase and plugs it into his computer) Now, who can tell me who an humanitarian is?

Arnold (raises hand)

Mr. Simmons (pulls screen down over chalkboard): Yes, Arnold?

Arnold (lowers hand): A humanitarian is someone who help people in a crisis, like after a natural disaster or a man-made disaster.

Mr. Simmons (pulls out projector from underneath his desk): That's right, Arnold. Like he just said, a humanitarian is someone or an organization who helps people in areas after disasters took place. (plugs in projector) The reason I asked that question is because I have very exciting news!

Harold (stands up): Is it that I can do this?! (opens mouth and places both hands inside it)

Other students: Ewww!

Sid and Stinky (say nothing but clap silently)

Mr. Simmons (turns on projector): No, its not that, Harold.

Harold: Aw man! (takes hands out of mouth and sits back down)

Mr. Simmons: Anyway, the news is, we've been selected to compete in a very special contest! A great humanitarian organization in Central America that helps the less fortunate is sponsoring it. (shows projection/slides of villages in rural Central America being built by the organization) They build habitats that provide living space in the rainforest. And they want to celebrate kids that exemplify their spirit!

Phoebe (raises hand): Mr. Simmons, what do we have to do to WIN the contest?

Mr. Simmons: Excellent question, Phoebe! We submit a video presentation of our class being humanitarians in our own neighborhood!

Sid (raises hand): What's the prize?

Mr. Simmons: Curly?

Curly (pulls out two pencil and does a drumroll on his desk)

Mr. Simmons: The prize is...a class trip to San Lorenzo!

Arnold (looks up and turns around to face the audience): San Lorenzo? THE San Lorenzo?!

Harold: Is that the new Mexican restaurant?

Other students (laughs at Harold)

Stinky: Nah. That place has been there a while.

Mr. Simmons: Close, Stinky. It's a beautiful, proud republic to our south. This is where we'll go if we win the contest.

Harold: To a Mexican restaurant!

Mr. Simmons: No. To San Lorenzo, the country. And the organization that will host us is called "Helpers for Humanity."

Arnold (gasps): "Helpers for Humanity"!? That was the group my parents worked for!

Gerald (turns around and looks over at Arnold): And isn't it the same San Lorenzo where your parents disappeared? It's almost like this contest is designed for you.

Helga (turns around and looks over at Arnold and Gerald): Quiet down, jerk-faces! I'm trying to concentrate on the clock. (turns back around, facing the front of the classroom setting)

Mr. Simmons (turns off projector): Class, I know you're excited to get to work on this video presentation, even though it's the last day of school.

Arnold (rasies hand fast): I'll do it!

Gerald (raises hand fast, too): I will, too!

Mr. Simmons: Great! We're on our way to winning. It's due in a week. (sits down at his desk)

(The clock turns to 9:45am and the bell rings...)

Mr. Simmons: Alright class, it looks like its time for your last music class of the year. Go on there and enjoy the rest of your day here at "P.S. 118" (stands up, puts projector away, and puts jump drive back into his briefcase)

(All of the students get up, grab their personal belongings, and exit through the classroom door on the right of the side, exiting stage right. However, as Mr. Simmons exits the classroom setting last, Arnold stays behind. The lights in the back area of the set dim and the very front part of the set lights up, shinning on Arnold. Arnold then stands up, places his book bag on the floor beside him, and looks toward the audience. As he does, emotional music begins to play in the background for the second musical number of the show...)

Arnold (singing): I've got to win that contest...

To get to San Lorenzo.

If I get to San Lorenzo...

I'll see my mom and dad again...

Agaaaaaaaaain!

I haven't seen my parents,

Since I was just a baby.

But if I go to San Lorenzo...

I'll see my parents once again!

That will be the highlight...

The highlight of my life.

Yes, that will be the highlight...

The highlight of my life.

My liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife!

Oh, I will be so happy,

To see my mom and dad.

Do I think they'll remember me?

Yes, I'm sure they will!

Yes, they wiiiiiiiiiiiiiil!

My mom and dad are out there...

I wish that they weren't.

But they left me and Hillwood...

To help out a good cause.

But now, after all these years,

My life highlight wish,

Will be...

Fulfilled! (stands up on desk)

Mom and dad,

I hope you're out there.

If you can here me,

It's me, Arnold!

I love you both so much,

And you left to help others!

But now, I miss you...

And I want you to be home!

Think of all the stuff,

We can do together,

As mother, father...

And son!

We can all go to the beach,

Or go see an action flick!

We can go to the zoo,

Or the aquarium!

Or we can just get some,

Ice cream.

The things we can do together,

Are endless.

And I just want to do them all. (gets down from desk)

That would be the highlight...

The highlight...

That would be the highlight...

The highlight...

That will be the highlight...

Of...my...liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife!

(The emotional music stops playing in the background. The entire audience cheers and claps loudly as the second musical number of the show ends. The rest of the set lights back up again...)

Mr. Simmons (opens classroom door and pokes his head in): Arnold? Are you still in there?

Arnold (turns around and sees Mr. Simmons): Oh! Uh, yes Mr. Simmons. I'm right here.

Mr. Simmons: Oh, good. I was wondering why you weren't out in the hallway with everyone else. Well, go ahead and grab your bag and head on over to music class.(goes back out of the set and exits stage right again)

Arnold (picks up book bag and slips it on over his back): Well, I've got to win that contest...but how? (walks out of the classroom door and exits stage right, closing the classroom door behind him)

(The entire set changes to the outside of the front doors of the "P.S. 118" school. The desks disappear below the stage via lifts and all of the trapdoors slide shut. 2 lampposts get into view, as well as a blue mailbox, a street sign, a "School Zone" sign, and a backdrop of a light-blue sky and white clouds...)

And...that's the end of Scene 2. Yep. Even though this scene was kind of short, it still had an impressive musical number by Arnold himself. And now, all Arnold has to do is come up with a way to win the entire class trip to San Lorenzo, and then, he can FINALLY find out where his missing parents are. But to win this trip, it won't be so easy. Arnold has to do something REALLY nice for someone else in order to submit footage of him doing so to win the trip. In the next scene, we'll all see what he and Gerald both come up with. Well, what on Earth are we waiting for?! Let's all move on to Scene 3 of Act 1 of this brand-new musical story of mine...