Mission

S.P.A.R.K. began when I experienced one of my earliest and saddest childhood memories. After arriving one Saturday morning to realize that my best friend, Vivian, was no longer attending dance with me at my dance studio, my mom explained that Vivian’s family simply could not afford for her to take dance any longer. This was my first exposure to the harsh reality that opportunities and involvement in dance and the arts are not accessible to all. In an effort to do what I could to help other kids who may be experiencing similar struggles, I began saving my old dance shoes and leotards to leave at the studio for anyone who needed them. Without realizing it at the time, this is what “sparked” the inception of S.P.A.R.K. I recognize how incredibly fortunate I am to have access to the training, resources, and performance advantages that I do, and I want to help however possible so that more children can experience similar opportunities. It is now my mission to raise scholarships that will encourage more participation in extracurricular dance programs while advocating for an increase in federal and state funding for the arts in our schools so that children who excel creatively will receive the recognition they deserve and communities across our country will have the knowledge they need to ignite the arts!