My name is John Hopkins and I have the great priviledge of being the District Drama Coordinator for the Berkley School District in Berkley, Michigan.  When I started at Berkley four years ago, the department was small and consisted of only extra curricular events with just a tiny number of students even considering going on to study the art of performance.

Now, as the department - now known throughout the region as Be Drama - is busting at the seams, we see students going on college auditions and looking into some of the most prestigious schools to continue their theatrical education.  We've grown so much, and even those who aren't going into theatre are pursuing careers in related fields including music, arts management and education. 

This spring, Be Drama will take to the streets of New York City, the very epicenter of the theatrical world.  We'll see shows, do workshops with Broadway performers and even go backstage in Broadway theaters.  But we need help to make this a reality for some of our students.

When I was in school, I was THAT kid.  The kid who couldn't afford to go to camp.  The kid who couldn't afford "pay to play" and missed out on numerous opportunities that I watched the people around me enjoy.  A trip like this would have made my entire school career!  It is my sincere hope that by collecting funds to help kids who could truly benefit from this experience but can't necessarily afford it. 

Any and all help is appreciated so that I can help some of the greatest students on the face of the earth see the potential they have! 

The cost of the trip is $650 per person and is all inclusive (meals, event and site tickets and admissions, etc.) and raising a total of $2,600 would allow either four full scholarships for this trip or any combination of partial scholarships.