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1. HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH SHINING STARS? I got involved with Shining Stars my sophomore year of high school. I got involved by being in the right place at the right time. I was with a friend and Sally, president of the board, texted my friend if she knew anyone who would want to come and help out. I said yes and went to the first practice and I loved it. I have been involved for three years now.
2. HOW HAS YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH SHINING STARS CHANGED YOUR LIFE? My involvement with Shining Stars has instrumentally changed my life. Throughout my years with Shining Stars I have made countless friends, with and without special needs, who I would never have even talked to. It also gave me the experience to work with students with special needs and made me realize how much I love to work with them. Shining Stars has changed my life so instrumentally that it put me on the right path to my future career. After working with Shining Stars I am now going to The College Of New Jersey for Special Education.
3. WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU TO BE A MENTOR? TALK ABOUT THE THE BOND YOU’VE CREATED WITH THE CAST MEMBERS. To me being a mentor means being friends with the cast members and just push them in the right direction. The bond I have made with the cast members is of trust and friendship. The cast members are always my first priority during Shining Stars and they always make me proud with their acts.
4. FAVORITE SHINING STARS MOMENTS My favorite Shining Stars moment was when we toured the Union County Performing Arts Center and watching all the buddies and cast members light up when they realized that we were going to be performing there. My overall favorite moment of Shining Stars is when I look at the cast member’s faces light up after they’ve performed.
5. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO PERFORM AT THE UNION COUNTY ARTS CENTER IN FRONT OF 1,000 PEOPLE AND WHAT WAS YOUR IMPRESSION OF THE PERFORMANCES? When I heard we hit 1,000 people I was so extremely proud of all
of the people involved. Everyone involved, especially the cast members, had worked so hard for the show. I know the cast members were so nervous when they realized how big the theater was but they all pulled it together for the performance. The cast members made me so proud and every act that I got to be in was an honor.
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of the people involved. Everyone involved, especially the cast members, had worked so hard for the show. I know the cast members were so nervous when they realized how big the theater was but they all pulled it together for the performance. The cast members made me so proud and every act that I got to be in was an honor.
6. WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? I am currently a freshman at The College of New Jersey on a 5-year Special Ed-ISTEM masters track. At TCNJ I am apart of the Best Buddies program and Special Olympics Unified Sports. The Best Buddies program is a social club that creates friendships between students with and without special needs. I am also apart of the College Chorale at TCNJ.
7. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? My plan for the future is to get my masters in Special Ed-ISTEM from The College of New Jersey and to work in a New Jersey school system. I hope to stay involved with Shining Stars throughout many years.
The Shining Stars 7th annual special needs talent show featuring "Music Through the Decades" will take place at the historic Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway on Friday May 4, 2018 at 7:00pm. Order tickets at www.UCPAC.org/events for this one night extravaganza.