My Week at the Norman Jordan African American Arts & Heritage Academy

This July, I spent a week at one of my favorite places—the Norman Jordan African American Arts & Heritage Academy at West Virginia State University. This was my third summer attending the camp, and every time I go, it gets better and better.

As soon as I got to campus, I saw some of my camp friends from past years. We ran up to each other and hugged like we hadn’t seen each other in forever. Even though we live in different parts of West Virginia, this camp always brings us together. It’s like a family reunion—but for young Black artists!

We stayed in the dorms all week, which was so much fun. My roommates and I stayed up talking, laughing, and even practicing our lines together. During the day, we had classes in theater, music, songwriting, visual arts, and more. I chose theater, and our group rehearsed every day for our big performance of The Wiz: You Can Always Come Home. I played “Mom”, and I had lines, scenes, and even a costume. I was a little nervous at first, but our teacher, Ms. Jaidyn, helped us believe in ourselves.

By the time we got to the showcase on Saturday, I felt confident and excited. The whole auditorium was filled with families, friends, and supporters. When it was our turn to perform, the lights came on and we gave it our all. Everyone in the cast did amazing. When the play ended, people clapped and cheered so loud—it felt like I was on Broadway!

I also loved seeing the other performances. The music students played instruments, the art students showed their beautiful drawings and paintings, and the songwriting group performed their original songs as a group called The Blessings. One of the most special moments was when we all came together at the end to sing “We Are the World” and formed a Unity Circle on stage.

This camp means so much to me. It teaches us about our culture, our history, and how powerful our voices are as young Black artists. Thank you to Dr. Brucella Jordan, all the amazing teachers and counselors, and everyone who supports the Academy. You help kids like me grow, dream big, and feel proud of who we are.

I’m already counting down the days until next summer!