Hello everyone! My name is Aleshia Rider.  I've been a student at American Repertory Ballet’s Princeton Ballet School for about eight years now as a DANCE POWER Scholar. I am a high school senior at New Brunswick Health Sciences Technology High School and a New Brunswick resident, which is how I began participating in the DANCE POWER PROGRAM in third grade. Other than dance I very much enjoy reading (Harry Potter, yeah!) and writing. I never leave home without my i-Pod; I have an unhealthy obsession to all things Hello Kitty; Law and Order is my favorite television series; and I like to play Rockband.

I also spend my time outside of high school and Princeton Ballet School participating in many educational and service-oriented organizations. I am President of the Teen Advisory Board at the public library in New Brunswick. Through the ODASIS (Office for Diversity and Academic Success in the Sciences) Saturday Scholars Program, I spend my Saturday mornings taking English at Rutgers. Also, I am a part of the Bridge to Employment Program, sponsored by Johnson and Johnson and Rutgers. I attend monthly mentor workshops, attend field trips, go on college tours, fulfill a service learning component, and complete large-scale projects that encourage leadership and teamwork.

Through New Brunswick Health Sciences Technology High School, I am a member of the National Honor Society and the Art and Literacy Club. I partake in most after school activities including National Honor Society tutoring, school sponsored Walk-A-Thons, Blood Drives, and Senior Class Fundraising Meetings and Events. I am also involved in what I see ad the most unique and fascinating of my school's program offerings: the Health Professions Scholars Program.  It is a co-op between Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and New Brunswick Health Sciences Technology High School. My school focuses on providing students with solid Mathematics and Science skills in order for students to successfully pursue a career in healthcare. Freshmen and sophomore year all students attend information sessions, lectures, and tours to gain basic exposure to the hundreds of career opportunities available in a clinical setting. Junior year, there is a shadowing component where students choose where they would like to be placed and shadow within careers in which they are most interested. This year, my classmates are able to intern within the specialties and/or careers they would like to pursue.  I am very grateful to have such a wonderful opportunity.

I am currently in the stressful process of applying to colleges. Rutgers University is my best option and personal preference. In line with my high school education and experiences, I plan on studying both Nutrition (Food Sciences) and Dance in college with the hopes of becoming a Registered Dietitian either participating Nutrition education programs or in private practice facilities.

So, there's some background information about me! I am ecstatic that I get to share my experiences at Princeton Ballet School.  I'm looking forward to writing about the DANCE POWER Program, Nutcracker rehearsals, and a lot of cherished memories at here at Princeton Ballet School, all of which have greatly impacted my life.