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OUR BLOG
Celebrating Our 2025 Graduates!
With the 2024-2025 school year at a close, we are proud to celebrate our graduating Youth Leaders. Our Youth Leaders work year-round with us, from co-teaching classes to answering phones and more, all while handling a rigorous course load as high schoolers and college students. Whether they are now furthering their studies in the arts, humanities, STEM, or joining the workforce, we are extremely proud to see how far they’ve come.
Have a look at our graduates!
Daniella Catarina
- Graduated from: Kean University, Magna Cum Laude
- Art forms: dance, voice, violin, crochet
- Started at IMC: 2021
- Future plans: work at a prosecutor's office and obtain a Masters in Criminal Justice/ Law.
“The Institute has impacted me by enabling me to be a part of Bridges to Harmony. By doing so, we were able to impact many teens and young adults to gain a better understanding of Mental Health and how to cope with it.”
Andrew Lopes
- Graduated from: Montclair State University, BFA Film and Television
- Art forms: guitar, acting, film, music production
- Started at IMC: 2010
- Future plans: Job/Freelance
“The Institute has been a place that I’ve grown up in. I have spent most of my life there and it feels like a second home where I have made lifelong bonds.”
Gabrielle Orellana-Torres
- Graduated from: Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy
- Art forms: ukulele, piano, dance
- Started at IMC: 2016 (became a Youth Leader in 2022)
- Future plans: Union County College of New Jersey
“The Institute has been instrumental in shaping who I am today, and they’ll always hold a special place in my life. I truly love being part of their community and contributing to their mission.”
Kayliz Perez
- Graduated from: Alexander Hamilton High School
- Art form: dance
- Started at IMC: 2022
- Future plans: Union County College of New Jersey (AS in Pediatric Nursing)
"I have been working with the Institute for three years, and during this time I rediscovered my passion for dance. My experience at the Institute has not only allowed me to find a passion for working with children but also what a community filled with love and support can do for you."
Violet Pinto
- Graduated from: Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy
- Art forms: singing, acting, stage management
- Started at IMC: 2022
- Future plans: Kean University (BFA in Theater Design and Tech)
“The Institute has impacted by seeing how art brings people together to create something beautiful.”
Dakarai Sheffield
- Graduated from: JVJ STEM Academy
- Art forms: drums, guitar, piano
- Started at IMC: 2022 (11 years as a student, 2 as a Youth Leader)
- Future plans:Union County College of New Jersey (AS in Engineering), start a band named the Shadow Wolves, and continue working at the Institute as a Youth Leader
“Working as a youth leader has taught me how to learn to take initiative, not wait around for others, and to learn to be a leader in my own right.”
Luna Smith
- Graduated from: Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy
- Art forms: dance, acting, voice, drawing
- Started at IMC: 2022 (first year as a student, second as a Youth Leader)
- Future plans: Kean University (BA in Theatre)
“The Institute has really impacted how I interact with people. The youth leaders I work with have become my main family and I love everybody so much!! The Institute has given me a really good place to spend my summers and I love it lotsss.”
Olivia Sokolsky
- Graduated from: Union County Vocational-Technical High School (The Academy of Law and Justice)
- Art form: dance
- Started at IMC: 2011
- Future plans: Syracuse University (BA in International Relations and Business)
“I truly would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for the Institute and all the amazing opportunities I have been given. Becoming a Youth Leader and being able to lead Bridges to Harmony, a youth-led civic engagement initiative, have both given me countless leadership skills which I will carry with me through the rest of my life.”
William Torres
- Graduated from: Union County Vocational-Technical High School (with a certificate in Automotive Technology), and the Rutgers University Pre-College Program
- Art forms: drawing, animation
- Started at IMC: 2023
- Future plans: Rutgers University (BFA in Fine Arts and Video Production)
“I believe my art form is unique with its own style. I've always had a passion for drawing, but my time at IMC animation class helped me build confidence. I've learned the importance of patience and taking the time to refine my skills. I now have a better understanding of my craft, and I'm excited to continue discovering and shaping my artistic voice. Looking ahead, I see myself with big animation studios like Walt Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, or similar creative studios. One day I'd love to open my own animation studio where I can showcase my work and share it with others.”