What part(s) of fine arts are you involved in?

• • • • • • • • Theatre, art and poetry 

How much time do you spend on fine arts per week?

• • • • • • • • When it comes to art, I spend most of my time doing it. I’m always sketching something, but when it’s an actual project, I can spend over six hours every week. Poetry usually only consists of around fifteen minutes every other day.

How did you get started in the fine arts?

• • • • • • • • I got interested in theatre initially by total accident. I’ve always liked to sing, so in middle school I thought why not try out for this musical. I’ve loved theatre ever since. Art came as a surprise as well. I’ve always been a doodler, but I didn’t think I was actually good until a teacher pointed it out to me. 

Why do you still participate?

• At first anything art related was just a fun way to fill free time, but recently it’s becoming a really successful coping skill.

What’s your favorite part? Why?

• My favorite part is probably that with art I can step out of myself and be someone better and different than who I am. It’s the only place where I can truly create my own world and narrative. 

What’s your inspiration? Do you have a role model?

• My inspiration usually comes from expressing my truth and reality while also highlighting what the world could be. My role models include Audra McDonald, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Maya Angelou. 

Have you won any awards/honors or hold any leadership positions?

• I won an international poetry slam with the St. Louis team [in] the summer of 2019 and then the following school year, I took over North’s team, Savage Stanzas. 

What’s your position/role?

• I was North’s Poetry club captain.

What’s your favorite memory from your time with the fine arts?

• I became friends with people, who under normal circumstances, I never would have interacted with. I made two of my closest friends from poetry and a ton of others through theatre. 

Will you continue the fine arts in college/after high school?

• In a perfect world I would solely do arts, but realistically speaking I’ll dedicate as much free time as I can to it. 

What part of fine arts are you involved in?

• • • • • • Theatre, Marching Band, and Symphonic Band.

How much time do you spend on fine arts per week?

• • • • • • Depending on the time of the year, I can spend as little as 3 hours to 22 hours or more.

How did you get started in the fine arts?

• • • • • • I got started in fine arts when in sixth grade. I made the decision to join band in middle school rather than continuing with orchestra. That same year, I also auditioned for my first show because one of my after school teachers in fifth grade said, “You’re so dramatic; you should try theatre” and the rest is history.

Why do you still participate?

• • • • • • I still come back every year, not only because I love the fine arts, but because of the people. The fine arts has taught me some great lessons, and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without it.

What’s your favorite part? 

• As much as I love the fine arts itself, the people have to be my favorite part. Every day, you’re working with like-minded people from all different backgrounds who have the same goals as you whether that be putting on the best show possible or preparing top notch music. 

What’s your inspiration? 

• What inspires me is making good art – whether that be theatre or music – and at the end of the day, being proud of the work I made. I don’t have one role model in particular I look up to, but there are so many talented professional actors living their dreams who motivate me. To think that one day I could have even a fraction of that talent is inspiring.

Have you won any awards/honors or hold any leadership positions?

• I have won a few awards/honors during my time in the fine arts. Freshman year, I won best supporting actor in a play. That same year, I also got inducted into our school’s ITS troupe. Junior year, I earned a 1 rating with my solo and ensemble group in symphonic band, which made us eligible to go to state for band. 

What’s your position/role?

• I’ve held a small leadership role during marching band season as co-equipment manager junior and senior year. My biggest leadership role has been being on my troupe board for junior and senior year.

What’s your favorite memory from your time with the fine arts?

• This is a tough one. I’ve made so many great memories throughout the years in regards to fine arts, but one of my favorites would have to be this year our marching band’s final competition of the season at Mizzou, making that my last marching band competition in high school.

Will you continue the fine arts in college/after high school?

• I will be studying a completely different major that has nothing to do with the fine arts, but I plan to possibly minor in theatre or at the very least do the school productions or join a music group.