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A Broadway cancer survivor mentors young singers

By WTOP Staff

MARK KENNEDY
AP Drama Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Five young, amateur singers assembled a little nervously in a rehearsal room recently near Times Square. This was the day they’d be mentored by a Tony Award-nominated star.

The five had overcome things teens should never have to — cancer, stroke, pneumonia, kidney disease and a parent fighting overseas. But they were put at ease as soon as they spotted the Tony nominee’s bald head.

“I am an ovarian cancer survivor,” Valisia LeKae told them.

LeKae, who had been diagnosed late last year and underwent several rounds of chemotherapy, made the act of mentoring these kids for an upcoming talent show hosted by Madison Square Garden even more poignant.

“It definitely does because I went through Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer,” said Falyn Vega, 14. “It’s like, ‘Wow, she went through it. I can do it too.’ It’s awesome.”

The annual Garden of Dreams talent show gives kids who have faced illness, homelessness, poverty or tragedy an opportunity to perform in front of family and friends on the Radio City Music Hall main stage. This year’s show will be held Tuesday and admission is free.

One of the children had written that she’d had the hardest time going through chemotherapy, something LeKae could relate to. “I knew exactly what she was talking about. I knew exactly what that moment felt like and the days after,” LeKae said. “But also seeing the other side of the rainbow.”

One by one, the five sang a song and waited for critiques from LeKae and Marishka Wierzbicki, a master vocal coach and associate teacher at Liz Caplan Studios in New York.

Cassie Smyth, 16, performed “Warrior” by Demi Lovato and when she was finished, LeKae congratulated her on her song choice. But Smyth, who had a stroke in 2013, had kept her eyes mostly closed.

“The great thing about being a warrior is allowing everyone to see it in your eyes,” LeKae said. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. You don’t have to keep them closed. Connect with your audience.”

The sight of Samantha Koch, 15, performing “When You Wish Upon a Star” prompted LeKae to kick off her high heels and rush over to hug the young woman who has battled kidney disease.

“When you smile, your face lights up,” LeKae said. “Smile! You are so beautiful. You have so much to be grateful for. Let them know how much joy you have.”

Vega next tackled the song of the year — “Let It Go” from the Disney hit “Frozen.” LeKae, by this time a gorgeous, dancing, animated cheerleader in a sunny romper, loved the young woman’s energy but worried that it tapered off.

Wierzbicki, who had previously coached the children to breathe more deeply and even to make swimming motions with their arms while they sang to free up their diaphragms, now counseled Vega to conserve her air.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was Matthew Martinez, 11, who stood up to perform Alicia Keys’ hit “If I Ain’t Got You.” LeKae was initially gently skeptical: “You got some soul? You’ve got a dimple that I love so it doesn’t matter.”

Then Martinez opened his mouth.

“So you do have some soul,” a visibly shocked LeKae said after he had nailed the tune. “I can just see it crawling out of you.” She counseled the boy, whose father is part of the Wounded Warrior Project, to let the song build and have a little onstage swagger.

Later, privately, she gushed: “He had this groove about him. I was like, ‘Is he married? Because I am in love.’ It was so unexpected but such a breath of fresh air.”

The last to sing was Brittany DeLuca, 16, who also played piano as she performed “Only Hope” by Mandy Moore. LeKae and Wierzbicki wanted her to let the notes settle more and to put more stress on certain lyrics.

Later, Wierzbicki said she thought all five had great potential.

“They’re deep. They know things. Some things they’re afraid of, but they have awareness and you can see that in the way they respond,” she said. “I don’t put kid gloves on to work with them because I don’t think that’s what they need.”

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Online: http://www.GardenofDreamsFoundation.org

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Follow Mark Kennedy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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