I wipe the sleep from my eyes as I head down the stairs listening for Lori’s voice. It’s early but not as early as it usually is when I have to leave for school. The drive from our new house is over an hour but it was worth it to be able to graduate from Key, where I go on almost a full scholarship. Today, I’ll be missing a full day of classes, a D and D session and rehearsal. Luckily Conner’s running the campaign today so I’ll just join in on Zoom and help him move the plot along. We’re almost at the end of a three-month storyline and just need to wrap it up anyway. Rehearsal is a different story. I’ll need to meet with Mrs. DW one day after school next week to get caught up on blocking and the choreography for Magic Foot, my big number in the spring musical. We’re doing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and I’ve been cast as one of the leads, William Barfee. I’d been working with my vocal coach Chloe on my audition song for months so I was thrilled when casting was announced last week, as this would be my last Key performance. I head toward the kitchen, hear Paddington start barking and know that Lori has arrived. Today marks my tenth infusion and Paddington’s greeting of Lori does not last long because he is getting used to her presence. I hate missing a whole day of school for an infusion but I can’t deny that I am feeling substantially better. My blood sugar has not dropped in months and I am able to get through whole rehearsals without stopping to rest. Best of all, mom has chilled out a little and is letting me visit friends without debriefing their families on what I can and can not eat. Having to eat gluten free is a pain but it doesn't have to be the big deal that she makes it out to be. I know it is done out of love but still it makes me uncomfortable. I hate drawing attention to myself and the fact that I have CVID. My dad wanders out of the office, where he’s working, to let Lori in as I stop to grab a glass of juice and a bowl of cereal. I slip into the living room, drop off my food, say a quick hello and run back upstairs. I’ll be hooked up for almost five hours and can go to the bathroom and move around some but I can’t go back upstairs with the IV pole. My phone’s in my pocket and I have my copy of Carmilla, which we are reading for Comp. Lit., but I forgot my Chemistry book and we have a test later this week. While upstairs, I quickly grab the Anime I’m in the middle of, my laptop and, at the last minute, I add an anthology on mushrooms and fungi. The latter I’m using for research purposes. I’ve almost finished writing the opening scene of my latest detective noir and need to decide on the murder weapon. I’m ninety percent sure that it will be the Destroying Angel mushroom but I’ll use some of my time today looking over the options once more. When I return, Lori is transferring the Immunoglobulins from the vials into the IV bag. I hear her happily remark to my father that the dosage has increased so I must have put on some weight. They both make sounds of approval because this is good news. I consider making a joke about going back to watching my weight but decide against it when I see my mother come into the room from the garden with a vase full of daffodils for Lori. Always best to know your audience, I think to myself. After accepting the flowers, Lori turns to me, gesturing for me to take a seat. This is the part I hate the most. Once the IV is in, I am fine. Without a word, my mother moves to my side, and I am grateful for her presence. This process has become routine, Mom takes my hand, I look out of the window at the river and Lori asks about where I am in the college process. I tell her that I have committed to Sarah Lawrence and we all talk about how close I will be to New York City and Broadway. My father jokes that either I will make it big or I will go broke seeing shows. The laughter fades as the medicine begins its journey, mixing with the blood in my veins, giving me the immunity and strength I need to face the world and the next phase of my life.

My school library, where my mother was the librarian, was my home for the first fourteen years of my life. There, surrounded by the comfort of the stacks, I was whisked away to Narnia, Middle-earth, Hogwarts and Alagaesia. I met some of my best friends between the pages, and I learned how to be an inclusive person reading about other countries, cultures and lives. My imagination bloomed as a result. When I was five-years-old, I wrote my first story, and I have not stopped writing from that day on. Quite literally I can not conceive of a world without books because I would not be who I am today without them. They have guided me in becoming a scholar, a storyteller and a musical theatre performer. Over the years, books have been my faithful companions. I have CVID (Common Variable Immunodeficiency), and while I am receiving monthly infusions of replacement immunoglobulins I read. Growing up I was often sick, and my mother would read to me to wile away the hours. Once I could read on my own, I devoured novels by Eoin Colfer, Lemony Snicket and Roald Dahl. These authors fed my imagination and fueled my love of storytelling. To date, I have written plays, short stories, poetry, Dungeons and Dragons campaigns and even a novella. During my high school years, my writing began centering on the supernatural, and I experimented with the sublime, the absurd, the macabre, horror, comedy and suspense. Primarily, I took inspiration from the readings done in my Civilization classes, where literature, history, philosophy, religion and culture are taught in tandem. My works now span the globe and range from Ancient Civilization to Modern Day, and through them I pay homage to some of my best-loved authors and works, showing hints of Stoker, Le Fanu, Shelley, Poe, Lovecraft, Wilde, The Bible and Beowulf. Each piece I write is a work in progress and, as I grow as a writer and as a person, I continue to revise them with new eyes. I have been accepted to Sarah Lawrence College, in Bronxville, New York, right outside of New York City, with the intention of studying Creative Writing and the Performing Arts. After careful consideration, I chose Sarah Lawrence due to their “academic model that encourages experimentation, exploration and the constant quest for knowledge.” Sarah Lawrence's open curriculum will allow me to study the Performing Arts and Writing while also exploring Literature, Languages, International Studies, and the Sciences. While there I also hope to have the opportunity to study abroad. As a writer and performer, being well rounded will allow me to be more inclusive in my art and a more worthwhile contributor to the literary world. One of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman, once said, "Fiction builds empathy", and through my storytelling and performances, I always work to give a voice to those who are quietly battling hidden challenges in the hope that others will gain understanding. One day, I hope to write a play or novel featuring a character with CVID in order to raise awareness. Empathy is something that is taught and, whether on the stage or on the page, words have the power to educate and even to change long held beliefs. Forging these words and worlds, that just may build compassion and understanding, is my life’s work.

The theater, academic and community, has always been my home away from home and my first love. I think that everyone needs a place where they are accepted unconditionally and valued. Luckily every theatre I have worked with has welcomed me with open arms and for that I am eternally grateful. In addition to my school theatre, I have been involved with several community theaters, and the camaraderie that goes into productions is really something quite spectacular. Community Theatre is unique because there adults and children work together to collaborate on shows. They support each other and strong bonds are formed. Through lengthy rehearsals, line memorization, perfecting dance choreography, costuming, set building and vocal coaching, we create a finished product to share with our families, friends and the entire community. Sometimes there are audiences of hundreds at the shows, and the holiday shows can bring in even larger crowds. It is the giving back to the audience and seeing their eyes shine that fuels our passion. Cooperatively we work to create a very distinctive magic on the stage. Without community theatre the next generation of actors, lighting designers, stage managers and directors would not have a place to hon their craft. I am currently acting as Student Director for a Middle School production of "The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon". This is the first time that I have had the sole responsibility of blocking and directing an entire show alone. The hours put in are voluntary but it is a labor of love. It would probably be surprising to outsiders to learn how many much time it actually takes to put on a production from start to finish. On average from casting to production, it is a three month time frame of rehearsals five days a week (often on weekend) and these rehearsals typically last three to five hours. Then Tech Week (the week leading up to the show) involves longer and more frequent rehearsals. Theatre truly is a team sport like no other. Actors must practice, they must build up endurance and most importantly they must be coachable. The directors must know their shows, their actors and the budgets they have to work within. Then then you have the people behind the scenes who work in Stagecrafts, such as, costuming, lighting, set design and stage management. In a community theatre, this is all voluntary, in order to create a show to give back to the community. As an adult, I want to be able to come back to my community theatre and share my experiences and knowledge. I know I have been greatly influenced by the adults who have offered workshops on dance techniques, costuming, makeup, stage combat and vocals. They have been the individuals who have fostered my love of the arts and shaped my performances on stage. I intend to pass on the encouragement, knowledge and support one day to the theatre kids of tomorrow.

I am a scholar, a storyteller and a musical theatre performer. I take part in five or six shows per year between my school and my local community theatre. Vocal and dance cabaret showcases and student written productions are two of my favorite endeavors. Nothing satisfies me more than going onstage. Always continuing to build upon my repertoire of skills, I take vocal lessons and musical theatre dance intensives. When I am not on stage, I can often be found quietly crafting worlds of my own out of words. At times performing can be a daunting task because I have CVID (Common Variable Immunodeficiency), a condition that the Mayo Clinic describes as "an immune system disorder that causes low levels of the proteins in the body that help fight infections.” Growing up I was always sick. As I grew older it became worse, and I began losing weight. Eventually when I stopped growing my family was referred to a speciality hospital where one of the doctors, the Head of Immunology, took an interest in me and figured out what was wrong. Now I have a team of doctors at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and they are supporting me. Since my body does not produce the immunoglobulins needed to fight disease and infection, I receive a monthly IV infusion of replacement immunoglobulins in order to boost my immune system. During the years leading up to my diagnosis my family incurred substantial debt paying for appointments, tests and procedures. I feel very fortunate that I have been able to attend amazing schools on almost full scholarships. I have worked very hard and am lucky that people have recognized my potential. Now my family and I are trying to figure out how to pay for college. I have been offered a merit scholarship to pay for a portion of the tuition but it will not come close to covering the cost of tuition and room and board. When calculating the SAI (Student Aid Index), the FASFA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) does not take medical bills into consideration. Because of this, my family’s situation is not portrayed accurately. Receiving Gabriel Martin Memorial Annual Scholarship would help me achieve my goals. I have been accepted to Sarah Lawrence College, in Bronxville, New York, right outside of New York City, with the intention of studying the Performing Arts and Playwriting. After careful consideration, I chose Sarah Lawrence due to their “academic model that encourages experimentation, exploration and the constant quest for knowledge.” Sarah Lawrence's open curriculum will allow me to study the Performing Arts and Writing while also exploring Languages, International Studies, Literature and the Sciences. While there I hope to have the opportunity to study abroad. As a writer and performer, being well rounded will allow me to be more inclusive in my art and a worthwhile contributor to the future of American Theatre. One of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman, once said, "Fiction builds empathy", and through my storytelling and performances, I always work to give a voice to those who are quietly battling hidden challenges in the hope that others will gain understanding. One day, I hope to write and direct or act in a production featuring a character with CVID in order to raise awareness. Empathy is something that is taught and, whether on the stage or on the page, words have the power to educate and even to change long held beliefs. Forging these words and worlds, that just may build compassion and understanding, is my life’s work.

Greetings one and all! My name is Cookie, an aspiring storyteller and performer who already has a plethora of acting, dance and writing experience under their belt. Ever since I was a wee child the arts could never fail to amaze me, leaving me in utter awe. I adore being on stage, whether it be in the three summer musicals produced at my nearby theatre each summer, being in vocal and dance cabarets or in student lead productions at my school. Nothing satisfies me more than going onstage to entertain an audience, whether my role is of the comedic relief or of a more heartfelt nature, and I’m continuing to build upon my repertoire by taking vocal lessons and tap/musical theatre dance classes. It is a daunting task sometimes due to the fact I have CVID, a medical condition that means my body isn’t getting all the protection and nutrients it needs which causes upset stomach and tiredness a lot, yet I always find a way to make sure I can perform as much as I love to! Fortunately for me though I have an infusion once a month to help with my CVID and give me a boost of energy! The theatre has always been a home away from home for me and my safe space. I think that everyone needs a place where they are accepted and loved. Every theatre I have worked with welcomed me with open arms and for that I am grateful. The casts for each show I have been in have become families. When you work for that many hours with a group and share the final product with a audience, there is no way a special bond wouldn't be formed. I work with several community theaters in addition to my school and it is great working with all of the adults and kids. Everyone is so supportive of each other. I hope to be able to continue to do this in college and beyond. As an adult, I want to be able to come back to my community theatre and share my experiences and knowledge. I know I have learned so much for the adults that have offered workshops on dance techniques, costuming, makeup, stage combat and vocals. Whether I end up on Broadway or in my community theatre, I want to be able to share the shows with my fellow cast members and the audience. There is truly nothing like this shared experience. BTW...I am the ginger in the clip and photos below. : ) Thanks for your consideration.