There are many opportunities for young students to participate in art and cultural activities in Raleigh and surrounding areas. Students with high ambitions should take advantage of these opportunities to work towards their goals. Millbrook alone has a lot of talented athletes, musicians, and artists. A few students have gone above and beyond in working towards their dreams, including junior Carson Weddle, senior Gabby Goodman and senior Alaina Bubeck.

  Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) annually hosts an event called Triangle Rising Star. Students from different high schools across the Triangle area have the chance to participate in this. Twenty students from 10 different schools have been chosen by judges. The students, a male and a female from each school, are chosen to perform a character’s monologue from one of their favorite plays or musicals. The judges came to each high school to watch the nominated students perform at their high schools to decide if they should be chosen for the performance. The event will take place on May 16 at DPAC. The two students who have the best performances will qualify for the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City and also participate in workshops with Broadway stars and experts. Millbrook students, Carson Weddle and Gabby Goodman were both selected to participate in this by three judges. Theater teacher Mr. Kotzian recommended that they apply for this competition. Three judges came to watch Gabby and Carson perform as Morticia and Gomez in the school’s rendition of The Addams Family Musical. Their performances were very impressive, and they were both admitted into the competition. You can find tickets online at the DPAC website to watch Carson and Gabby perform. Junior Carson Weddle said, “It is very nerve wracking, but exciting at the same time to be performing at DPAC. I’m going to make the most of the experience!” Opportunities like this give students the chance to gain experience and do things they love.

  Another student, senior Alaina Bubeck, has had many great accomplishments with her art pieces. Recently, the NC Art Museum held a contest called Teens Inspired. Young artists from around NC were required to choose an original art piece (hanging in the museum) that inspired them. After choosing, the students would recreate that according to their own inspiration and ideas with photography, paintings, or drawings. Art teacher Mr. Davis told his students about this opportunity. Alaina picked a painting called “Judith and holofernes” by Kehlinde Wiley. This painting depicts a woman holding a man’s head among a background of flowers. In Alaina’s painting she drew someone from Millbrook’s face in flowers. Many high school students applied, and 30 were selected. Alaina was one of those students whose artwork will be showcased in the NC Art Museum. Make sure to go out to see her art piece from June 2 until September 10! Support your fellow wildcats in their performances and accomplishments.