Before going to Ithaca for the Summer College Program, I had no idea what to expect. I was anxious and excited all at one time. Immediately after arriving on campus I felt a sense of community. The professors the staff and even the other kids helped me get rid of any sense of nervousness that I had. Throughout the experience I did so much more than what was listed in the description. I took an Acting I class, also participated in a Black Lives Matter rally and march. I got to visit Cornell which was close, go on an amazing nature walk that led to a series of gorges and much more. This experience taught me about college life, socially and academically. I had the opportunity to speak to people who worked in admissions, people who auditioned as promising actors and musical theatre students, and students who attend the university itself. I bonded with the RA's who gave us insight into college life and also provided a space where we could talk about anything. With everything going on in the world it's so important to be aware of our surroundings and to be comfortable talking about everything. It made me so happy to be in a room filled with people that lived from all different places like Detroit, Los Angeles, Texas and even Barbados and be able to talk about Alton Sterling, Philando Castile,and other cases of Police Brutality with them. This program was so much more than reading a script, memorizing lines and performing a scene or monologue. It gave me the full college experience and allowed me to learn new things and grow in ways I didn't expect, and, I wouldn't have been able to do it without your help. I am grateful that you took the time to support something that will forever have a positive effect on my life.

Thanks to everyone's generous donations, I am proud to say I will be attending Ithaca's Acting program in the summer. I struggle to find the right words to express not only my gratitude towards all of you but my excitement for the program. This program will give me a chance to explore not only acting but many other subjects and the college experience. As a junior, college is rapidly approaching and it's important to learn what I should look for in a college. I believe experience is the best teacher and I know this will be the experience of a lifetime. Not only am I getting the college experience but I get to do one of the things I am passionate about, acting! Being in a place so far away, with people I don't know, in a place I've never been, the possibilities will be endless. I cant wait to attend the program and share all about my amazing experience.