An Advocate: Performing Arts March 25, 2011

So, I just sent in my application to be one of Seventeen’s Freshman 15. Each year, they select 15 upcoming college freshman to share their lives with readers during their first year in college. I’m stoked. Even if I don’t make it past the first cut, I don’t care because I learned a lot about myself while taking pictures for the app and answering some nontraditional essay questions.

This was one of the questions that made me think.

What’s one goal you want to accomplish in college?

If I accomplish any goal in college, I want it to be inspiring children and teenagers to have the same passion about music that I have.

So many schools are getting rid of their performing arts programs. Seeing schools, including my own, with no theater, band, show choir, dance, musical theater and/or chorus programs breaks my heart.

At the end of my sophomore year, show choir and chorus were cast away. To the adults involved with this decision, it was as simple as passing the reading and pushing the delete button on the scheduling program. To the students and teachers involved, it was much more heart-breaking than that. Spending hours on end practicing meant nothing to those not involved. Singing hearts out meant nothing unless you were the one singing. What my director had worked so hard for twenty years ago was just gone. And there was nothing we could do…

Thankfully, this year, my school was fortunate enough to get a drama teacher with the zeal and energy for the arts as many of the performing arts department’s students and teachers, and we were able to establish a theater group. I’m also incredibly thankful that our band program in still intact.

I want to see children and teenagers have this passion and zeal for music in any form as I do. I don’t care if they want to sing, dance, act, or write. I want them to be given the opportunity to shine in the spotlight on a stage, march on a football field under the Friday night lights, or dance like no one is watching during a performance. I want them to have the same opportunity as I have had. I want to see schools have to add more programs because of the fire their students have.

My main goal for college is to become advocate the performing arts in schools around the nation.

<3

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