North Star Youth Exchange: Brazil

Hello,

My name is Sterling Miller and I am a senior at Saint Paul Conservatory for the Performing Artist studying Theatre, hoping to pursue that as a career.  

I am raising money because I was recently accepted into the North Star Rotary Youth Exchange program. This is a highly competitive program in which stellar students are chosen to go to another country as an ambassador and study as a high school student. During a student's year aboard, they will be learning the language and culture of the country they're placed in while at the same time representing their home country.

I will be using all donations toward the tuition of the program, which is 6,000 dollars. The payment is to be made in 3 parts due in January, February,  April.

As a black youth, I feel like every time an opportunity comes up money becomes a barricade. I want that obstacle to be viewed just as that, something that is possible to get around. The opportunity to go to Brazil and learn Portuguese would open my mind to what the black experience is like more on a global scale. As an artist, I feel that this will be a time of growth and a time to experience different art forms. 

In March of this year, I lost my mother and I along with my sister were sent to live with my aunt and uncle. With this big adjustment  financially on my new guardians, funding my trip completely would put them in even more debt.

I have faith in the words of Maria from The Sound of Music: "When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window." This is truly an opportunity of a lifetime and I pray that my words have moved you to support my dream.

Happy Holidays!
-Sterling