Aidan Rocha, Class of 2021, will serve on the Goodman Theatre Youth Arts Council starting this December joining a select group of Chicago high school and college students tasked with helping to make the arts more accessible
Elmhurst, Ill. – December 12, 2019 – IC Catholic Prep (ICCP) is honored to announce that Aidan Rocha, a junior and member of the Class of 2021, has been selected to serve on the Goodman Theatre Youth Arts Council starting in December.
The Goodman Theatre Youth Arts Council (GYAC) is a group of high school and college students who work to make theater more accessible for Chicago area youth. Participants become ambassadors for the theater in this youth leadership program. Members liaise between their peers and the Goodman, produce events for young audiences, and volunteer in their communities and schools.
“On behalf of IC Catholic Prep, we congratulate Aidan for being selected a member of the Youth Arts Council at the Goodman Theatre,” said Thomas Schergen, principal. “Aidan is a confident young man and a leader among his peers. He works hard at all he does and is a wonderful contributor to our performing arts program. In addition to the learning he will be exposed to as a member of this council, he will undoubtedly contribute leadership, innovation, and energy to the Goodman and greater Chicago performing arts community.”
The Goodman Youth Arts Council participants serve from December to May on an annual basis.
“This is such a great honor, and opportunity for Aidan,” said Julia Jazwiec, Theatre Director and Drama Club Moderator. “He will bring great things to the Goodman Theatre Youth Arts Council. He is passionate and good at communicating his idea with others. I am so proud of him for throwing his hat in the ring for this position!”
Aidan talks about his inspiration for wanting to be a part of the GAYC. “Last summer, I was a part of the Goodman Theatre Playbuild program. For seven weeks, we learned a lot and developed, wrote, and performed an original play. The experience was amazing and helped me to develop creative and leadership skills and I wanted to be able give back and tell others about these types of programs.”
The GYAC (Goodman Youth Arts Council) Mission Statement is:
“We are a group of young Chicagoland artists that exist to utilize our theater training to connect people with the stories on stage. We believe theater can educate and empower by building bridges between diverse peoples.”
Aidan joined the Knights Theater program during his freshman year and he speaks positively about the Knights Theater as a wonderful place where he and fellow students have been able to cultivate their love for the performing arts. “It is a great program for everyone, from those new to performing or with a lot of experience. The size of the program gives everyone a chance to be a part of productions and try something new. This year, I had the chance to be the student director for the 2019 fall play (WCKY), which was a huge learning experience.”
“Definitely step outside of your comfort zone and try new activities,” advises Aidan. “Be an individual and take risks and you may find something new that you love. The performing arts are a great experience that helps you grow and be challenged in many ways, and is full of creative people and—more importantly—is a lot of fun.”
IC Catholic Prep is the oldest Catholic, co-educational college prep high school in DuPage County. Located in Elmhurst, ICCP is a regional high school that serves students from over thirty-eight communities. For more information, please visit iccatholicprep.org.
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Media Contact: David Terry, 630-530-3494