For this “Spotlight” I was able to interview one of our 10th Grade Officers, Aleesia Charles. She is extremely driven, inspirational, and an overall great model student for the 10th Grade class, so I wanted to see what she had to say to our school:
Q: Why did you want to become President of your class?
A: I wanted to become president because I wanted to make a difference in everyone’s life. I wanted to make school a place that students look forward to going to. I’ve been in Student Council since Elementary School before moving up to SGA, but I never had an officer position. I feel like becoming President, I could make a more positive change.
Q: Do you have an actress or actor that inspires you?
A: Viola Davis inspires me a lot because she really steps deep and becomes the character she has to portray. Her backstory is very inspiring of how she grew to her success.
Q: How is it maintaining your social life while juggling academics and extracurriculars?
A: Maintaining my social life with school and extracurriculars is extremely hard but it makes me who I am as a person. I just try to give each part of my life an equal amount of time so I’m not overwhelmed with everything.
Q: What class do you feel you thrive in (favorite class)?
A: I definitely thrive in my Honors Theatre class the most. I’ve been performing all my life and not only does the class strengthen my craft, it allows me to be myself and have fun.
Q: Do you feel like friends are a key source of getting through high school?
A: Friends are very essential for getting through high school. School isn’t just about sitting at your desk and reading a textbook, it’s also about gaining new bonds and experiences.
Q: What advice do you have for the lower classmen?
A: I would say to make connections and join a lot of clubs and extracurriculars. When you’re in a lot of extracurriculars, it looks really good on resumes, when you apply for scholarships, etc.
Q: For aspiring actresses and actors, what three things do you think they need to be successful?
A: To be successful in performing you need discipline, tough skin, and the ability to be easy to work with. You need discipline so that you can handle the consistency of rehearsal and training to get better. Tough skin is the most important thing in my opinion because the Theatre world can be really cruel and you need to be able to handle constructive criticism. Being easy to work with is what gets you jobs. If directors find that you have a diva attitude they’re not going to want to work with you again.
Q: What do you plan to do after high school?
A: After high school I plan to move to New York and be on Broadway. I want to major in Contemporary Music at Julliard or NYU and minor in Sports Medicine.
Q: What did you think high school was going to be like when you were younger?
A: I feel like high school is exactly what I imagined. There’s a lot of hard work that comes along with schooling.
Q: Who do you feel are your biggest supporters?
A: My biggest supporters are my family for sure. They are always there for me and come to all my performances. My mom is the core of this, she does whatever it takes to make me successful. I’m very grateful for everything she has done for me. I’m also grateful for my favorite teacher Mr. Custis. He always gives me the best pep talks and encourages me to be my best. Anytime I ever feel down and am doubtful Mr. Custis always instills the fire within me so that I can keep going.
