AN IMMERSIVE COLLEGE TOUR Trip
HELPING STUDENTS SEE WHAT’S POSSIBLE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
This October, for the first time ever, Arts Conservatory for Teens is incredibly excited to take 10 of our seniors on an immersive college tour, giving them the opportunity to broaden those possibilities while visiting distinguished universities across New York and Pennsylvania.
NEW YORK + PENNSYLVANIA
MORE THAN A COLLEGE TOUR
For many high school seniors, visiting a college campus is an important step toward imagining not only what life after graduation could look like, but what may be possible for their future.
From October 10–13, our students will travel from Tampa to New York and Pennsylvania, visiting Pace University, Penn State University, and Carnegie Mellon University while gaining firsthand exposure to college life, professional arts environments, and some of the country’s leading arts and academic programs.
Throughout the four-day trip, students will have the opportunity to walk college campuses, connect with admissions representatives, attend an open house, and take part in memorable experiences designed to broaden their horizons, including two professional Broadway performances in New York City.
This is ACT’s mission in action..
For many high school seniors, visiting a college campus is an important step toward imagining not only what life after graduation could look like, but what may be possible for their future.
From October 10–13, our students will travel from Tampa to New York and Pennsylvania, visiting Pace University, Penn State University, and Carnegie Mellon University while gaining firsthand exposure to college life, professional arts environments, and some of the country’s leading arts and academic programs.
Throughout the four-day trip, students will have the opportunity to walk college campuses, connect with admissions representatives, attend an open house, and take part in memorable experiences designed to broaden their horizons, including two professional Broadway performances in New York City.
PLUS ADMISSIONS EXPERIENCES, CAMPUS EXPLORATION , AND TWO BROADWAY PERFORMANCES IN NEW YORK CITY.
BUILDING A BRIDGE
At the same time, ACT is building meaningful relationships with colleges and universities that can create stronger pathways for current and future ACT students as they consider their next steps. These connections also give institutions the opportunity to become more aware of the talented, prepared young artists coming through ACT.
THIS IS ACT’S MISSION IN ACTION
We believe in not only empowering young people to imagine what is possible, but creating tangible opportunities for them to experience it firsthand. By bringing our students directly into these environments, we can provide them with the exposure, information, and resources that can help them carve a path toward the future they envision.
By stepping onto these campuses, exploring respected arts programs, asking questions, and experiencing professional creative environments firsthand, our students can better understand the opportunities available to them and gain the confidence to imagine themselves pursuing higher education and careers within the creative industry.
PREPARING STUDENTS
ACT’s Director of Programs & Curriculum, Darnel Butler, will be leading our students throughout the journey.
“This trip is an investment in our students’ futures. By combining college exploration with exposure to professional theater, we hope to equip our seniors with the inspiration, knowledge, and confidence they need to take their next steps after graduation.”
A STUDENT & PARENT PERSPECTIVE
FOR JOSIAH, SEEING WHAT’S POSSIBLE CHANGED WHAT CAME NEXT
Josiah Thompson, a longtime YCA member, is one of the 10 ACT seniors participating in this year’s college tour.
For Josiah, the experience represents more than visiting prospective schools. It is another step toward imagining what his future could look like.
His mother, Brensey Thompson, shared that Josiah had not initially planned on attending college. That began to change after participating in a local college visit facilitated by ACT last year.
Seeing a campus firsthand opened his mind to what a college experience could offer and helped him begin thinking differently about his plans after high school.
Josiah first discovered ACT several years ago and credits his time with the organization with helping him build his skills, gain meaningful performance experience, and see more clearly what could be possible as he pursues a future in the entertainment industry.
“To be able to actually go there and experience what it would be like if I went to one of these colleges is going to be really cool, because not many students get to have that opportunity. I’m really grateful to have it.”
For students like Josiah, experiences like this can turn something they have only imagined into something they can see, explore, and begin to understand for themselves.
Brensey also reflected on how meaningful that kind of exposure can be for families. Visiting colleges outside of your home state can require significant time, travel, and resources, which can make it difficult for students to experience campuses firsthand before making decisions about their future.
For their family, ACT has helped make those experiences and the conversations surrounding Josiah’s next steps more accessible.
“Having ACT there as the backbone support has been really great for me. The resources have helped us navigate questions that we’ve had and things that we wanted to explore. Just having that exposure and being able to see things in real life opens their minds to the possibilities that are out there. Without ACT, I don’t know that Josiah would be choosing to go to college and explore colleges in New York. It has truly made a world of a difference for us, and these opportunities have changed the trajectory of Josiah’s life and his plans.”
FOUNDERS CORNER
ART, COMMUNITY & WELLBEING
“At Arts Conservatory for Teens, we believe the arts are more than a creative outlet, they are a way of building stronger, healthier communities.
When young people make music, create visual art, perform, write, or dance, they are developing more than artistic skills.
They are learning to express themselves, listen to others, collaborate, take creative risks, and see the world from different perspectives. These experiences nurture confidence, empathy, and a sense of belonging.
Community wellbeing begins when people feel connected and valued. The arts create spaces where diverse voices can be heard and where individuals can contribute something meaningful. For our students, the studio, rehearsal room, and stage become places of discovery, not only of talent, but also of identity, purpose, and shared responsibility.
As we continue our work, we are reminded that investing in young artists is also an investment in the wellbeing of our entire community. Every creative act has the potential to inspire connection, encourage understanding, and help build a more compassionate world.
This month, I invite you to consider how the arts have enriched your own life, and how each of us can help make creative opportunities accessible to others.
Cheers, ”
OPENING DOORS THROUGH COMMUNITY
Opportunities like ACT’s first college tour are possible because of a community that believes in expanding what young people can experience and imagine for their futures.
We are incredibly grateful to the donors, partners, educators, and supporters who make experiences like this possible.
That collective investment allows ACT to continue creating opportunities that extend beyond the classroom and give students meaningful experiences at important moments in their lives.
A student steps onto a college campus.
They experience professional theater firsthand.
They meet people learning and working in spaces they aspire to enter.
And suddenly, what once felt like a dream begins to feel possible.
Your support helps ACT continue providing young people with the experiences, mentorship, training, resources, and exposure that prepare them to confidently take their next steps, in higher education, in the creative industries, and beyond.