Tri-C Creative Arts Academy: A Launching Pad for Talent

Twelve students to transfer to colleges across the nation after completing training

A dozen students with years of dance, jazz or orchestral training in the Creative Arts Academy at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®) will take their talents to colleges across the nation to continue their studies.

Tri-C’s Creative Arts Academy serves as a preparatory program for pre-college students. It operates on the belief that a vibrant arts curriculum creates a clear pathway to higher education. Students start as young as age 3 and can continue through high school.

The academy offers classes in disciplines such as band, choir, dance, digital arts, jazz and orchestra. Students study with distinguished faculty artists.

“Our students work very hard on their art form, with many also taking college credit classes at Tri-C to jump-start their journey to degrees,” said Emanuela Friscioni, director of Tri-C’s Creative Arts Academy. “We are proud to see them shine so brightly.”

The 12 graduating seniors, grouped by artistic discipline, include:

Dance Academy

• Jaela Deadrick of Cleveland, attending Alabama State University to major in dance.
• Demetrius Lee of Cleveland Heights, attending Boston Conservatory at Berklee in Massachusetts to study contemporary dance. (Lee received a national merit award in modern contemporary dance in the 2020 YoungArts Awards for Excellence)
• Sylvia Settles of Cleveland, who intends to return to Tri-C to continue her studies in dance. Settles was featured last year on a CBS This Morning segment highlighting the Cleveland Foundation’s Arts Mastery initiative at Tri-C.
• Amber Thornton of Cleveland, attending Studio School in Los Angeles, California, to major in commercial dance.
• Allie Yasch of Cleveland, attending the University of Toledo to study psychology.

Tri-C JazzFest Academy

• Graeham Guerin of Westlake, attending the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music for jazz studies. (Guerin was honored as a national finalist for jazz double bass in the 2020 YoungArts Awards for Excellence)
• Burton Hall of Shaker Heights, attending Frost School of Music at the University of Miami in Florida for jazz studies. (Hall received a national merit award in jazz saxophone tenor in the 2020 YoungArts Awards for Excellence)
• Timothy Picard of Westlake, attending Oberlin College and Conservatory for jazz studies. (Picard received a national merit award in jazz guitar in the 2020 YoungArts Awards for Excellence)

The Orchestra Program (TOP)

• Mahogany Foy of Cleveland, attending Cleveland State University as a pre-med student majoring in biomedical science. Foy earned an Associate of Science degree from Tri-C this month.
• Hanna Goler of Bedford, attending Norfolk State University in Virginia to study wellness and rehabilitation.
• Jaritza Idemoto of Cleveland, attending Skidmore College in New York on a full scholarship to pursue a degree in psychology.
• Kendrick Johnson of Garfield Heights, attending Cleveland State University to major in music studies.

Visit tri-c.edu/creative-arts-academy or call 216-987-6145 for more information on Tri-C’s Creative Arts Academy.

May 18, 2020

John Horton, 216-987-4281 john.horton@tri-c.edu