Where are they now? Catching up with Kiara and Jolie

This summer, our interns caught up with some of CYS’s talented, inspiring alumni to see what they are up to today! In this post you’ll hear from Kiara and Jolie, both undergraduates who are making CYS very proud!

Kiara
​Alumna of: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet
Currently at: Connecticut College, Class of '21
Studying: Theatre (BA) and on track to receive a certificate in Public Policy and Community Action

Jolie
Alumna of: Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, The Tempest
Currently at: Tufts University, Class of '22
Studying: Cognitive and Brain Science & Computer Science

Q.  What field are you in/planning to go into? Why did you choose this path?

Kiara. I am passionate about theatre as a platform for storytelling. I am also interested in empowering narratives. That is why I chose to mold my education to fit my interest in discussing social justice through art. 

Jolie. At the moment I'm unsure what field I want to work in. I'm excited by topics such as Artificial Intelligence and Human-Computer Interaction, but really I just love working with people and coding and doing work that's intellectually stimulating. So, possibly tech/cognitive research in the private sector?

Q.  What did you take from your time with CYS that has helped you in your work?

Kiara. I remember being terrified of classical text. However, during CYS, everyone motivated me to add my own flare on things. What essentially happened was that I was bringing myself to the work. I never in my life felt so invited to do pieces of theatre that were unfamiliar to me. It changed my perspective and in result made me less timid towards unfamiliarity. I learned how to navigate work by trusting myself. 

Jolie. CYS helped me become the fully functioning, independent young adult that I am now. I learned so much about how to assess my own emotions truthfully and genuinely, and I gained some meaningful friends whom I still talk to today. ​

Q.  What was the most important thing to you in your CYS experience?

Kiara. The friendships that I made throughout the process. I love meeting people across Chicago who were interested in theatre like me. 

Jolie.  High school is an extremely difficult time for every adolescent -- not only did CYS allow me to strengthen my skills in an art form I love, but it provided me a space to release emotion and build a family with teens going through the same things I was. To be honest, I'm not sure how I would have stayed sane during those four years without a program like CYS.

Q. What would you want current CYS students to know now that you did not?

Kiara. There are roles in theatre other than performing.

Jolie.  High school feels so big and college often only feels bigger and scarier. But by doing a program like CYS, you're building social skills and emotional maturity that will prepare you for years to come. The people that you meet here, especially Manon and Evey, will always have your back. And things will get better.

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