Junior Student Statement.

As a child and preteen I didn’t really fit in to any sports I tried, and I tried a lot. I never felt like it was what I was meant for. I knew I wanted to do something medical when I grew up but what kind of extracurriculars are there for kids that want that? I was stuck for a really long time. When I moved to Briscoe in 8th grade I joined theatre, I was in the beginner level class but I tried out for every show. I got cast in These Shining Lives as the judge, but about a month into rehearsals the girl I was an understudy for moved away, and I had to fill in. It was the greatest opportunity I’ve ever been blessed with. I learned how to be confident on stage and how to not only talk but perform in front of people. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. When I entered high school I was in the JV production class and I met the man who would completely change my life, my director Brandon Cobb. Mr. Cobb taught me how to be confident in my decisions, in my acting, and in my life. He taught me what love should look like and he reminded me of my worth which is so much more than I was allowing myself to believe. Throughout my high school career he played one of if not the biggest role in teaching me how to be a good human being. In my junior year of high school I met Paige Thomas, she was the new assistant director and I remember immediately being excited she was coming to help us because she specialized in musical theatre which is what I loved most about theatre. Before Ms. Thomas came to our program no one had ever even looked twice at me to lead in a musical much less cast me as one, but she did. She not only recognized what I could do but she pushed me to take it further and harness my skill. These two people played the biggest role in the most pivotal time of my life, and they are being taken away from my company because my school and district doesn’t believe we need them. How can anyone come close to what they’ve been to me? How can one decision to save some money completely change my life and potentially ruin mine and so many others senior years? Nothing will ever replace the magic of a dedicated and loving director. Fund the arts.