By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
With the magic words of “Just Say No” a magician entertained students at Bucyrus Elementary School on Tuesday while also delivering a positive message.
Magician Stephen Knight, who was on America’s Got Talent in 2013, visited the Bucyrus Elementary School Tuesday afternoon to deliver the “Just Say No Magic Show.” While Knight performed a set of illusions to the students he also delivered the message to the message to say no to drugs and alcohol.
Knight explained that the “Just Say No Magic Show” was just one of a variety of shows that he performs which carry a message.
“I have different messages depending on what kind of time of year it is,” Knight said. “We are very close to Red Ribbon Week so anti-drug/good choices messages is really popular now. We also have an anti-bullying show, a respect show, and also our reading show as well. Those messages are pretty timely and timeless.”
Knight opened the show with a different take on the assistant being sawed in half. After performing the trick Knight drew applause by the students by explaining to the students what an illusion was while appearing to rip a newspaper into quarters, and returning the sheets of paper into a whole paper again.
The next illusion Knight asked for two volunteers to come up to the stage and used the classic pick a card trick as a metaphor for choices that the students could make in life. Knight continued used various magic tricks as metaphors for those who get hooked on drugs, and how drugs can change one’s life. Prior to his final trick of the afternoon Knight spoke to the students about peer pressure and explained that peer pressure can come from friends, family, or someone normal looking.
“Never let anyone talk you out of making good choices into making bad choices,” Knight told the crowd.
Prior to performing the metamorphosis magic trick made famous by Houdini, 
Knight explained to the crowd that had Houdini had no self-respect, or made bad choices that would tear him down, we wouldn’t be talking about him as being one of the greatest magicians.
Knight was then handcuffed, placed into a burlap bag, and locked into a trunk. His assistant stood on top of the box and raised a curtain over her head. When the curtain dropped to the floor Knight was standing, uncuffed, and on top of the box while his assistant was locked inside the box.
The event was put together by Crawford County Community Concert Association Vice President/Program Coordinator Linda Leyda. Leyda explained why she brought the magician to perform for the school.
“I have seen him at the music conferences, and I thought it looked like a lot of fun. It was something we had never done before and I wanted to give the audience something different, something out of the box,” Leyda said.
The afternoon show also served as a preview for the show Knight was scheduled to perform that evening as part of the Community Concert Association series. Knight explained the difference between the afternoon show and the evening show.
“Tonight there won’t really be any ‘message’ to it. It is just for fun and entertainment,” Knight said. “We will mix a little bit of Halloween magic as well so that will be timely for this time of year and it should be a good old-fashioned, family-friendly magic show.”
The next Crawford County Community Concert Association show will be The DePue Brothers “Classical Grassical Christmas Show” at 7 p.m. on Dec. 8.