Students turned mentors
It’s hard to believe that Ceanni Santiago, ASAP Drama’s rising star in 2019 is going to be a senior in high school this fall at ASPIRA Cyber Charter School. For years, Ceanni took to the stage in ASAP’s Multi-School Musical Productions, including Fame Jr., Little Mermaid Jr., and Barrio Grrrl!, sharing:
Fast forward to June 2023, and Ceanni is now our rising peer mentor for ASAP Drama. This year in particular, Ceanni has been working as an assistant director on ASPIRA’s Spring Multi-School-Musical, Frozen: Kids. On working behind the scenes in the role of a mentor, she states:
Mentors take the stage
As a mentor, Ceanni has truly become someone her younger peers can really look up to and depend on. She even works closely with the director of the production to keep her aspiring young artists on task and motivated. And when it came time for spring break right in the middle of their rehearsal timeline, Ceanni knew just what to say to keep the momentum going:
Her work as a mentor clearly paid off on opening night about a month later. The young performers gave it their all while a beaming Ceanni sat in the front row cheering them on. Ceanni’s leap from peer to mentor has been as meaningful to her as it is to the middle schoolers she works with.
But we need your help!
You can support ASAP’s community of student mentors by making a donation at www.phillyasap.org/donate
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