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Dream 2 Fruition: Berridge Conservatory

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Dream 2 Fruition: Berridge Conservatory
http://www.gofundme.com/alexandriabrock

Alexandria Brock - Tonya from King Hedley II (ChiArts)
http://youtu.be/LsjRMofCErg


Hello! My name is Alexandria Michele Brock. I am a 16 year old sophomore student at the Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts) participating in their Theatre Conservatory. I have been acting now for about 3 years!

I had a mother who kept me and my siblings involved in structured extra-curricular activities, in school and out. She operated from the mindset of "AN IDLE MIND IS THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND". I didn't understand why we weren't allowed to just hang out with our friends:all the time. She did occasionally allow us to go to the park, to the beach, to the show, or over to a friend's house, but, those were considered "SPECIAL" times, because more often than not, she had us involved in sports, clubs, church, and programs. However, as I began to get older, I began to realize exactly my mother's reasoning behind her process and so I began to emulate her train of thought. I not only began to sift through the activities that she'd gotten us involved in, letting her know which ones that I really liked and which ones I really hated, but, I also began to seek out activities that best fit me and my personality.

Summer of 2009, I signed myself up for an After School Matter's Theatre program whose focus was to use the performing arts to heighten community awareness of varying issues that plague inner city and underserved communities. That experience floored me and is essentially when I first got the acting bug. Our training, that year culminated into a showcase surrounding the life and highly publicized, violent death of a Chicago teenager who, while on his way home from school, was randomly shot and killed on a CTA bus while shielding a friend from getting shot. Reading stories like this in the newspaper does nothing for the human psyche like being on stage or in front of a camera and re-enacting scenes of what took place on that day. This was acting with a purpose and I loved it and I craved more of it. So, the following year, I enrolled in another After School Matter's Theatre program which was more diverse in culture and ethnicity as well as the areas of study. We not only focused on the acting aspect of the performing arts, but, we delved into the entire process of putting on an impactful performance which included stage designing, stage managing, makeup and wardrobe, lighting, sound, script writing:etc. From that experience, I knew that I wanted a career in acting. This for me was beyond just a summer outlet, a way to make money while having fun, but, something that I wanted to more deeply explore and see just how far and wide I, Alexandria Brock, could go in this world, in this industry. So, I transferred from Lindblom Math and Science Academy to ChiArts so that I could dive right into acting in a more precise succession.

It was ChiArts that introduced the possibilities of me studying acting for the summer with the professionals. They planted the seeds of possibilities of me studying acting, not just here in Chicago, but, in varying places throughout the country including schools and conservatories in places like New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA. Then, there it was! As I scrolled down the partial list of possibilities, I saw one study abroad opportunity, The Berridge Conservatory at the Chateau le Mont Epinguet in Normandie, France! This is the opportunity that DREAMS ARE MADE OF and for me, a young African American girl who has rarely been out of the Windy City, who come from an economically low class family, I wanted this opportunity so badly that visions of being there began to dance in my head. I showed it to my mother who took a deep breath and hugged me tighter than ever before and then looked at me and said, "Let's go for it! We can't afford it, but, if it's GOD's will for you to have this experience then He'll make a way." My mom, a lover of quotes told me "NOTHING BEATS A FAILURE, BUT, A TRY". She promised to help me as much as she could to help make this dream, my dream of studying acting at The Berridge Conservatory in France for the summer, to become a reality. Teachers at ChiArts jumped on board, encouraging me and helping me every step of the way.

In my mind, I am already there. I only need to be able to confirm that this dream is no longer a dream as of June 1st when the balance of my fees are paid and my round-trip airfare to and from Paris Charles de Gaulle has been confirmed. This opportunity may very well be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, although I hope that it is not. It is my prayer that this opportunity will be the first of many other similar opportunities in my lifetime. I am seeking your financial contribution towards making this opportunity my first.

The Berridge Conservatory has extended the deadline to June 1, 2013, for me to pay my remaining conservatory fees of $2,008. Then there is the matter of me having to secure my roundtrip airfare. I am hopeful that even in this 11th hour, I will find scholarships, corporate sponsorship, and/or donors to help pay for the remainder of my conservatory fees and the costs of my roundtrip airfare.

Dream 2 Fruition: Berridge Conservatory
http://www.gofundme.com/alexandriabrock

The Berridge Conservatory
http://www.berridgeconservatory.com/

Chateau Le Mont Epinguet
http://www.chateaulemontepinguet.com/


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Donations 

  • LATISHA THOMAS
    • $20 
    • 11 yrs
  • Carolyn Ray
    • $1,867 (Offline)
    • 11 yrs
  • Leonard Hinds
    • $20 (Offline)
    • 11 yrs
  • Casandra Melton
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 11 yrs
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Organizer

Alexandria Michele
Organizer
Chicago, IL

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