Thanks to the generous support from the Polk County Community Foundation, local students Alaina McCall, 16, and Keenan Harman, 17, are spending the summer learning and creating at Tryon Fine Arts Center as interns.

Arts Administration intern Alaina McCall is looking forward to helping the community in a fun way, and being in a creative environment. A rising junior at Landrum High School, with much history at TFAC, Alaina applied for the internship to learn about careers involving art and writing.

“I wanted to get a job related to art this summer, so when my Grandpa told me about the internship, I applied the same day. I remember seeing Cats and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe here when I was five. I then acted in the first two Summer Theatre Camp productions, Beowulf On A Budget and Murder Most Fowl, and in Thoroughly Modern Millie with Tryon Summer Youth Theatre. Besides that, I participated in PacJAM, and I’ve seen many other shows here, so I love this place.”

“I can’t wait to learn about the inner workings of such an integral part of our community, and share my ideas with likeminded people to make it even better,” Alaina said. “I want to thank my family, TFAC, and the Polk County Community Foundation for this amazing opportunity!”

In her spare time, Alaina likes to make animations on YouTube under the name LoquaciousLaners42, draw, act, write, and watch cartoons. Alaina’s dream college is the California Institute of The Arts, less than an hour’s drive away from Disney Studios, where Alaina hopes for another internship.

Rising senior Keenan Harman is serving at the Entertainment Production intern, learning about everything from daily operations and safety to the intensive technical work going behind the scenes of the Tryon Summer Youth Theater production of “Matilda, The Musical.”

Keenan attends Polk County Early College. He has been a volunteer at Tryon Fine Arts Center for nearly two years, shadowing TFAC’s contracted technical director James Little and learning to run sound, light, and projection equipment. Keenan hopes his newly acquired skills will come in handy for his future plans.

“I want to go to college at UNC Greensboro, get my degree in film, and become a director for movies, shows, and short films,” said Keenan. “I hope to apply what I learn this summer to my own productions in the future.”

Be sure to say hello to Keenan and Alaina the next time you’re at a production at Tryon Fine Arts Center.

 

Submitted by Michelle Fleming