From Shovels to Starlight.

You could say my summer was one of extremes. I went from shovels to starlight, and it all started with trash. I have been going to Camp Balcones Springs for the past eleven summers. This July, I was finally old enough to participate in the Work Crew program that camp offers for incoming seniors. I never thought I would say this, but I fell in love with trash—or at least the idea behind it. The program is all about community service: cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the camp’s refuse. It was nice to have fun camp friends to do it with!I used to be terrified of trashcans. Walking up to that brooding gray trash bin, I would quickly chunk my trash in before it snapped my fingers shut. But after the Work Crew program, I gathered a new appreciation for those who prepare, clean, and most importantly, handle trash. It’s hard to believe how much fun I had handling those grimy, queso –covered trash bins in the Texas heat, and hard to believe how much I learned.

When Work Crew was over, I dove quickly from the depths of the dirt to the Hollywood Hills. I was lucky enough to spend the entire month of August pursuing my dreams of acting in Los Angeles! I got the opportunity to meet with over thirty different people in the industry—taking classes, gathering ideas, going to workshops and making connections! My entire film-acting class was out there together auditioning by day and enjoying L.A. by night—not to mention plenty of beach time! It was truly an amazing summer filled with wonderful opportunities.

L.A. Actress, Class of 2010