Graduation!

Graduation at Radio City Music Hall!

Certificate of Distinction awarded to Andrea Bertola

On May 10, 2010 Andrea received her Masters in Educational Theatre from NYU.   She joined over 1,300 masters and advanced certificate graduates in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development Valedictory Celebration. The Theater at Radio City Music Hall was filled with proud and enthusiastic parents, grandparents, spouses, children and friends. The ceremony concluded with a rousing rendition of a Steinhardt favorite, "New York, New York" by the Steinhardt Music Theatre Ensemble.

Andrea was proud to be awarded a New York University Certificate of Distinction during the ceremony. Andrea was selected as Alternate Student Speaker to bring greetings on behalf of the class of 2010 at the 24th annual Steinhardt Valedictorian Celebration. This honor recognizes outstanding academic achievements, leadership and service to the New York University Community.

On the stage at Radio City Music Hall!

As a member of the dais party, Andrea marched in the processional and was seated on stage during the ceremony at Radio City Music Hall. It was an unbelievable experience that will not be soon forgotten.

Final Self- Assessment

Advanced Directing
New York University
Educational Theatre Program
Dr. Nancy Smithner
May 14, 2010

Final Self- Assessment

To articulate my personal growth that took place in this course is almost incomprehensible. This was by far the most challenging class I enrolled in this semester. I approached my work with vigor and ferociously defended the beliefs I have set for myself as to what makes quality theatre. I have honed my critical eye and raised my standards, knowing what I am capable of and never settling for less. I have defined my ideals of artistic integrity and look to reevaluate those ideals with every new piece of theatre I have experienced.

In order to keep challenging myself with the course work, I explored our assigned readings with eagerness. When I came across an unfamiliar name, theory, technique, etc. I would research it online. Many times that research would lead me to new research, which would lead me to new research and before I would even realize it… 2 hours of concentrated learning had gone by and I was still on page 3 of the reading. That is really the beauty of the internet. It was in these moments that I relished in my role as a student of the theatre. I have gotten such immense pleasure out of directing and our assigned readings that I wanted to soak up more material. I was like a sponge. Coming from a girl that struggled with some devastating learning disabilities through out my childhood and adolescent years… (dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADD) I really savor the moments when school ignites a deep passion to learn. It is such a radically different feeling from what I am accustomed to, I could write an entire book on the ways a class such as “Advanced Directing” has changed me in my role as an accomplished learner. I’m leaving for a vacation to Italy on Tuesday and I’m excited to take some of the readings from the class with me. I’ll have a whole looong plane ride to delve back into the material and reevaluate it based on the experiences I had in class.

I can’t wait to direct my next full scale piece. I am salivating! I have all of these tools and no venue to work in! This class has given me a plethora of techniques, tools and ideas just waiting to be used! My one regret, I wish we had gone into some “career development” talk. How to make connections and where to find more professional directing opportunities. I’m very eager to direct in “the real world” again, and I’m a little confused as far as which route I should take to work towards that goal. I am inspired by directing, it engages my artistic interests on so many levels. From design to research, inspiration to collaboration; I find directing wholly fulfilling.

In finishing this course I feel as though I have a strong understanding of many of the techniques we learned and confidence in my ability to facilitate several of them as a director. I am anxious to explore future productions through the eye of the director and help others to make connections to theatrical work. I was passionately dedicated to my scene work and able to learn from my mistakes. I maintained my attention to detail and made clear choices in my directing that translated onto the stage. I enjoyed the weekly reading assignments and made notes of my favorites so that I can revisit them in the future. Being that I plan on teaching in colleges and communities I am excited about the freedom I will have to explore this work in a way that mirrors your facilitation of the techniques.

I learned the most about myself as an artist and learner. I redefined my identity by taking ownership of the type of student I was versus the type of student I have become. By challenging myself and overcoming personal obstacles I have made the connection of how to use the content learned in class and apply that passion to my everyday life. I have become an astute observer of the nuances in our world and my artist eye has only improved from that realization. I leave this class with confidence in my capability as a director, an artist and as a hungry student, which is truly the most priceless lesson of all.

My Speech!

Putting on my cap & gown in the Rockettes' dressing room at Radio City Music Hall!

I was honored to be chosen as the alternate student speaker for the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development’s Valedictory Celebration. Meaning: if the student speaker was unable to deliver her remarks on behalf of the graduating class, I would be asked to stand in her place. On stage. At Radio City Music Hall. Dream come true!!!!!

So… as promised, I am posting my speech that went unused that afternoon. (And a special "thank you" goes out to my Educational Theatre Facebook Friends--- for the inspiration...and memories!)

Enjoy!

-Andrea

Valedictory Celebration 2010
Alt. Student Speaker SpeechTo paint the most vivid picture of the daily life of my fellow Steinhardt graduate students, I would like to begin by reading a few Facebook ‘status updates’ that I have collected from my classmates over the 2009-2010 school year:

“I spend more time with William Shakespeare than I spend with my boyfriend. Houston, we have a problem.”

“My bed is multi-functional. It is simultaneously acting as a study hall, a library, an Internet café, a Trash Receptacle, and a late-night diner. The one thing it’s not functioning as? A place to sleep. ”

“Does anyone have a skeleton of a cat, a feather boa, an 18th century globe, or a CD with ‘sounds of the subway’ that I can use in a scene for class tomorrow?”

And finally, my favorite:

“200 pages read, 200 to go, 5 hours til class… Why am I on Facebook right now?”

In all seriousness, I stand before a dynamic group of hardworking, ambitious, inspiring graduates who have devoted their lives and made many sacrifices to be where they stand today! I am humbled to be chosen as the student representative of the Steinhardt class of 2010 and I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to my colleagues and peers. We did it!

Did you know the United Nations proclaimed 2010 as the “International Year of Youth”? This is an effort to harness the energy, imagination and initiative of the world’s youth in overcoming the challenges facing humankind. I’m just glad that I didn’t have to give the graduation speech last year. 2009 was declared the International Year of the Gorilla! This year, with the “International Year of Youth” the UN aims to encourage dialogue and understanding across generations and to promote the ideals of peace, respect for human rights and freedoms, and solidarity. What an appropriate year for this year’s class of Steinhardt Students to graduate! Those goals of the UN are the very same ones many of today’s graduates have dedicated their lives to, via their studies here at NYU. As Dean Brabeck wrote in her open Letter to the Secretary of Education, “The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development embraces the vision of educating the whole child. The faculty and staff prepare professionals to work collaboratively across the fields of education, psychology, health, media and the arts.”

In all of the classes I have taken at NYU, one lesson stands out amongst the rest. In the educational theatre department we had a passionate discussion about a famous speech by New York Times best selling author, Sir Ken Robinson. He is an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity. He is quoted as saying, “Creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.” He spoke of how the value of the creative arts is greatly underestimated when educating our youth. Whether you are a graduating student in the department of education, psychology, health, media or the arts; I’m sure you would agree with his sentiments. In preparing our youth for their future roles in society, I can not think of one profession where creativity does not play an essential part. Consider professional careers such as: business management, architecture, advertising, marketing, media, public relations, science, psychology, engineering, and teaching. Creativity cultivates problem solving techniques used in all of these occupations; it is an essential part of innovation and invention. Personally, I believe the most influential benefit of encouraging creative self expression in our youth is its unique ability to cultivate personality growth while promoting self confidence. With that self-confidence, our youth will be empowered when they are encouraged to dedicate themselves to fostering progress towards the United Nation’s goals of freedom, peace, and solidarity for all of humankind.

Being a student in Steinhardt’s award-winning Educational Theatre program, as theatre arts educators, we aim to support the growth of imagination in our youth by using creative drama to foster a learning environment where creativity can blossom. Every single week, I watch in awe as my classmates work with the youth of New York City. The passion and dedication that they pour into their work is truly life changing. You don’t need to look any further than on the faces of the children, faces that light up at the chance to creatively express themselves. Children who tell us—they feel as though they are genuinely being heard--- for the very first time. Life changing, one child at a time.

All Steinhardt graduates, in every department, know the value of creativity in inspiring youth. The creative solutions of prior generations – from a musician’s improvisation to our professors’ sometimes eccentric solutions to pedagogical problems – have inspired us thus far. Now we have the opportunity to go out into the world and are well equipped to inspire future generations with our own creative solutions in the arts, in education, in psychology, and in the media, just as the United Nations suggested.

Today, the 2010 graduates of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development leave NYU eager and ready to fulfill our roles as leaders in this exciting field of human development. We live during difficult times in an ever changing world and we are ready to make a difference. I am confident that the Steinhardt School has given us tools, inspiration and motivation to tackle the goals of the “2010 International Year of Youth”, not only in 2010 but for the rest of our lives. Yes we can!

Now, I have one final Facebook status update* for you today. This is from my own account and was posted this morning. It says, “Farwell, NYU… and Thank You. From the bottom of my heart.”


* Alternate Ending:
Take out my cell phone and actually update my facebook status at the end of the speech. While I read the last line…

Copyright © 2010 Andrea Bertola

All Rights Reserved