<p>Mary Anna and NOCCA Family, I wish I had the honor of meeting all of you. And to anyone (probably not anyone reading this...) who might think that MT kids are nothing but self-absorbed divas; that their parents are pushy, indulgent and blind to everything but their own kids' fabulous talents, and that the professionals who work with these kids are heartless tyrants, I would say: Read this thread. Read so many threads on this forum. Ask virtually any of us about the warm, supportive friendships we've formed here, whether or not they've gone beyond cyberspace. The intelligence, heart and strength of character here is tremendous.</p>
<p>It was announced today that Cincinnati's School for the Creative and Performing Arts will accept any displaced student from NOCCA at no charge and is soliciting their parents to house these students and possibly their families.</p>
<p>Other schools, who are part of an Arts School group called Network, can be seen here. <a href="http://www.artsschoolsnetwork.org/hurricane_katrina_information.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.artsschoolsnetwork.org/hurricane_katrina_information.htm</a></p>
<p>I'm a theater major at the Arts High School in Minnesota. We don't do any MT, but I'm a senior as well, and my theater teachers will help in all my college audition preparation. If your D is at all interested I would recommend she e-mail out principal. Her e-mail is on the link in the post above und Perpich Center for Arts Education. We have a great facility here and depending on the classes she needs the could be avaliable here. I too am interested in MT and if there is any help I can offer please contact me.</p>
<p>Kaija</p>
<p>As we get closer, please let me know who is going to unifieds in Chicago.
I am taking NOCCA daughter and want to connect with anyone who has reached out to them on this board.</p>
<p>Thanks,
xxx,Mary Anna</p>
<p>Just sitting here watching the horrible visuals on TV of New Orleans again and Texas and wondering if the Nocca's are well -- as well as everyone else in in our CC MT community in the gulf area.</p>
<p>Well, there is so much to report, I don't know where to begin.</p>
<p>The family just left my house a minute ago. I had a coaching session with the senior girl.</p>
<p>They are in an apartment now and getting settled. The husband went back to their home with a pick up truck (donated by my church) and retrieved more of their belongings. He returned back to Dallas last night.</p>
<p>This new development with the flooding in New Orleans isn't near their home, thanks goodness.</p>
<p>The daughter has been completing apps and is getting reading for her first set of auditions: North East Texas Drama, OU, OCU, NYU, CMU, MM and Ithaca. She will also be doing the upcoming Arts Rec. audition. She is a true beauty inside and out and enormously talented and an actress, singer and dancer. Both she and her brother are being given free dance and voice lessons by some of the areas best teachers. And, they have both been signed to the best talent agent in the Southwest!</p>
<p>The outpouring of love and support is overwhelming.</p>
<p>Dallas is opening its arms, once again. This time to thousands of Houstonians and Gulf residents. This is getting dangerously close to home. I wonder how much more we can take and how this will effect our lives.</p>
<p>Thanks for asking. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers</p>
<p>It is impossible for me to relay all that has happened or to convey how amazing the last 3 weeks have been. We can't believe it has been such a short period of time! First let me thank everyone again for the outreach and generous offers of help and kind thoughts. You will never know what that has meant to us in the way of peace of mind, encouragement, and hope. Now I have to take some time to tell everyone what an incredible human being Mary Anna is. She took us in, sight unseen, connected us with excellent schools, teachers, theater programs, agencies, headshots, friends who donated clothes, cars, rooming, furniture, food, SAT preparation, and much more. She has worked tirelessly to help us get resettled and has made my children as her own. Not only is she a very accomplished professional, with unbelievable credits of her own in the business, but she is caring, kind, and selfless. We could not have made the progress that we have without her. Her husband and daughters opened their home and schedules to us without reservation. (BTW her D's are also very beautiful and talented young ladies and have been great peer support for my kids). All will be life long friends and I only hope that one day we can do something to repay them. I want to also mention Sissy from this board who is here and has done much as well and has been a joy to get to know. </p>
<p>We have rented an apartment, found an excellent HS for the kids that has a 300 seat theater and an amazing program to go with it. I am back at work and was able to find office space to work out of here in Dallas. My husband traveled back to New Orleans last week before Rita and surveyed our home. The entire first floor will have to be scrapped and remodeled. This will take some time and haggling with insurance providers, but we are on our way in that process. We lost two cars, but have already received the insurance settlement on those. FEMA has provided us with some help. My D is working hard on applications and audition prep and right now we plan to be in Chicago for Unifieds. I hope to meet as many of you as possible while we are there. I am living testament to the comments made about the value of this community of people and that it goes beyond sharing stats and info on programs. We share a passion for our children and what their passion is, which is theater. My D and S have learned an invaluable lesson about what true caring is, and what it means to make a difference in someone's life. I know they will carry your actions of kindness with them the rest of their life. I hope that all of you will be blessed for taking the time to send a message, offer help and encouragement, saying a prayer, or helping someone else like us that is closer to you.</p>
<p>It is wonderful to hear from you. Your journey has been incredible. I am so glad to hear that everything is moving in a positive direction. You will all have grown stronger by this experience. Mary Anna and her family seem sent from heaven. The whole community does. I think your daughter is going to do very well this year and everyone here will be rooting for her. Life handed your family a very difficult situation but you have made it and in a very short time, turned things into some renewed hope in all respects. Mary Anna's family and others' support helps greatly but you guys are commended for moving forward in your lives and making the best in such difficult circumstances. </p>
<p>Best of luck to you as you rebuild your lives and may many great things happen to you in the coming months.
Susan</p>
<p>So happy to hear good news from NOCCAMom! Hope things keep improving for you and your family; it sounds as if you all have approached this very difficult situation with an amazing amount of grace and have received many blessings in return. Nothing but the best of luck in reclaiming your home and lives in New Orleans when the time is right for you.
Go NOCCADaughter -- break a leg on your auditions!!!!!</p>
<p>And if Cincinnati, or the area, is in your plans...we'd be happy to help!</p>
<p>I can't believe it's been 6 months since the NOCCA family came into my life. With all the Mardi Gras TV coverage today, it made me take a look back.</p>
<p>Re-reading this thread brings back so many memories and is a testament to all the love and support this board brings. I have certainly fallen on love with this courageous family.</p>
<p>Noccamom and I will have exciting news to report regarding her Nocca daughter any day now. A new chapter.</p>
<p>xxx,Mary Anna</p>
<p>Happy Mardi Gras!! I can't believe it has been 6 months!! Time has flown by in some respects and at the same time we have done enough living in the last 6 months for 6 years!! I will tell people everyday about the wonderful souls on this message board who responded without hesitation to help us when we needed it most. It is a great testament to the true state of kindness in this country. I am hoping, like many of you, to have the final chapter in the college search story to share very soon. I am waiting for D to make her final decision and she wants to notify the schools and certain individuals before we announce anything publicly. I hope that everyone on this board understands what an incredible human being Mary Anna is. Aside from her excellent professional guidance, she took us into her house, literally "sight unseen" and clothed and fed us for weeks. I am still astounded at the pure sacrifice that she and her family made for us. We will never be able to repay her, but her example of unconditional love stands for all of us.</p>
<p>It is with tears in my eyes as well as gratitude and grace in my heart that I opened this thread and am now adding our thoughts of appreciation for what Maryanna has done for our friends, it truely shows the mutual respect for humanity that exists through people and the arts. Moreover, what a special person Maryanna is in dedicating herself to the training of our young people to understand that connection between the arts and humanity. In addition, to this entire community. You should all be very proud and know that we, the recipients of all the love and support you've given will "pay it forward"!</p>
<p>Imagine my surprise when I sat down to eat lunch in my kitchen this afternoon, opened our little weekly local newspaper and while skimming some articles, my eye was caught by the word "NOCCA." It couldn't be the same NOCCA from CC, I told myself, but I was wrong. The article was about a small private school in my neighborhood in Philadelphia that is holding a Dance-A-Thon this weekend for the benefit of NOCCA!! It is the brainchild of the performing arts teacher in the school, which is NOT a PA school at all, and all the proceeds will be sent to help resurrect the NOCCA program in New Orleans. </p>
<p>So, NoccaMom and NoccaDad, please know that awareness of what is needed to rebuild your city and the school that I know is very close to your hearts, continues. I am sure that our local benefit is just one of many around the country and thought it would make you feel good to hear about it. The hurricane is long gone, but the caring is not.</p>
<p>That is wonderful news, Theatermom!! I have not heard about that fund raiser but I will tell my D & S. My D is going back for a special session that they are having for their seniors. They will be doing a 5 week workshop which will culminate in their "graduation" which they call "Celebration Day". They will also be eligible to earn their certificates of artistry from NOCCA by attending. This workshop will be the first classes being held in the NOCCA facility since the storm. She is very excited about it. Thanks for your well wishes and thoughts.</p>
<p>Is there a link to NOCCA to which concerned CCer's could send donations?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nocca.com%5B/url%5D">www.nocca.com</a></p>
<p>there is a link on the left-hand sidebar to make a donation. </p>
<p>NOCCA mom & dad,
Your D & S wouldn't happen to know Grant Hunter, would they? He went to NOCCA, was displaced to Florida, and is one of my close friends--we did a summer program together.</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>Bkstg_mt -</p>
<p>My D&S both know Grant!!!! They were all at NOCCA together. My D also did some Jesuit HS shows with him. Tell him we all said HIII!!</p>
<p>AnotherMom -
You are so great to ask about this. Any support would be greatly appreciated. NOCCA has a fantastic facility and a wonderful program. Not only for MT, but drama and music and the arts. Many of our favorite Jazz artists, the Marsalis Brothers, Harry Connick, Jr., and others all studied at NOCCA. There is also a group of NYU students who went to NOCCA who have formed their own production company and have done some productions in New Orleans at the NOCCA facility (Pre-Katrina). Before the storm New Orleans was one of the growing markets in the country for movie production as well. They have had to lay off staff, including the head of the MT department due to budget cuts from the state in the wake of the storm.</p>