Sports celebrities and musicians are some of the most emulated figures of the entertainment world, especially for young students who have cast their eye on a stellar stage career.
But some students don’t know about the importance of the people who carry these stars to the top. Therein lies the mission of the Coca-Cola Apollo Theater Company, which is dedicated to teaching kids the possibilities of entertainment careers beyond just the stage or the playing field.
Wednesday, Oct. 20, students in music and art classes at Union Hill High School in Union City enjoyed a career day focused on the various professions in the entertainment industry, with the return visit of the Coca-Cola Apollo Theater Company. Representatives of the Apollo Theater, MECCA 5 STAR Clothing Line, and other marketing and publishing corporations spoke to the students.
The day was also open to any students who participate in work-study programs with the career office at Union Hill.
“This is its second year at Union Hill High School,” said Debbie Addas-Lillo, school-to-career coordinator for Union Hill High School. “Last year it was phenomenal. The students were very interested. This year there are about 150 kids involved. These are the students in the music classes such as chorus. They’re in the school plays or in work study.”
The schedule
The speakers were broken up into four groups and switched among four classrooms.
“It’s good for them to hear from business professionals,” said Addas-Lillo. “This is a way of taking it beyond the four walls of a classroom. The whole goal is to make them succeed here and in society.”
The speakers were broken up by topics which included Finding the Right Music to Fit the Artist, Artist Development, and Marketing. During the first rotation of speakers, which began around 10:30 a.m., Billy Mitchell and Raesha Cartegena of the Apollo Theater addressed their first group of students on Understanding the Business of the Entertainment Industry.
“There are people in the background that are just as important as the people I mentioned on stage,” said Mitchell, the tour director and group sales manager of communications for the Apollo Theater.
Mitchell had a long upward climb growing up as one of 14 children born and raised in New York. He said he made it by focusing heavily on his education and hard work, and staying away from drugs and alcohol.
“I want them to know if I can make it with all the adversity I went through, they can make it,” said Mitchell. He also told them that breaking into the entertainment industry is not easy, and that most of the time you have to start at the bottom.
Mitchell gave the students some background on the famous Apollo Theater, and encouraged the students to always speak up because that’s how they will learn.
“Don’t give up, ever,” said Mitchell. “I never though I’d be in the position I am in, but that’s why I work as hard as I do, because I don’t want to go back to the way I lived before.”
Good rapport
The Coca-Cola Theater Company has been bringing real-world speakers to students for the last three years, and many of the new and veteran speakers were blown away but the maturity of Union Hill’s student body.
“I’ve been speaking to teens since college, so, like seven years,” said Tamekia Flowers, Remedy Marketing, Inc. “I love the thought and mindset of pre-teens and teens, and to give them something I didn’t get growing up. This is my third year speaking [in this program] and this school is excellent. The kids should be proud to be here.”
“The kids were more receptive and weren’t expecting what they heard,” said Raesha Cartegena, a representative of the Apollo Theater. “It was great interaction, and they spoke and listened attentively because this was something of interest to them.”
“I think this was a good experience for the kids of Union Hill,” said Jasmine Martinez, 18, a senior. “It opened my mind to things that I don’t know about, and they give us opportunities for internships.”
“It’s been great, they have given us a lot of insight to the real world of the entertainment industry,” said Fernando Contreras, 17, a senior. “There’s a lot of students who don’t know what they want to do in life yet. This gives them something they’re interested in and helps them in their research of possible career opportunities.”
One thought Cartegena wanted to leave with the students of Union Hill was, “Be great for yourself first, and big or small, do it right or don’t do it at all.”