Spark Spotlight Teen - Grace Geoffrey

Grace Geoffrey is a senior at AC Reynolds High School in Asheville, North Carolina. Following her graduation this upcoming spring, she hopes to study musical theater and pursue a career in performing. Grace spends her time outside of school doing art, writing, baking, and babying her beloved cat Lyle. To her, theater and music are a way of communicating with others and creating unity. Grace hopes that she can achieve this and more when she performs in the future.

1. What is your age and grade level?

I am seventeen, and a senior in high school.

2. What is your favorite subject to study and why?

My favorite school subject is ELA. I’ve been an avid reader ever since I learned how, so ELA has always come easy to me and it introduces me to new books every year.

3. What activities do you participate in outside of school?

I participate in a few choirs outside of school, as well as performing in community theater. I also enjoy baking, hiking, and spending time with my cat Lyle.

4. What field do you hope to go into after you graduate?

Musical theater!

5. What do you feel are the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome?

I think the biggest challenges I’ve had to overcome were all related to social hierarchies within school. Safe spaces and people seemed to come and go very quickly, and holding on to those became extremely important to me because of their brevity.

6. Who are your role models and biggest influences?

One of my biggest influences/role models has always been my mom. She works in the theater industry, and growing up in that environment with her instilled a love of the Arts in me very early on. She and the rest of my family are my biggest supporters in everything that I do, and I owe the majority of my theater exposure to her.

7. What do you think are the biggest issues facing young people today?

I know this is a commonly preached issue, but I’m of the opinion that social media’s influence on youth is one of the biggest problems facing young people today. I enjoy scrolling through my socials as much as the next person, but it’s impossible to avoid being bombarded by images of “the ideal body” or other fake stereotypes. The images on social media perpetuate unrealistic physical standards, fabricated ways of living, and unhealthy relationships. Growing up while constantly seeing these kinds of posts can be very damaging to mental health and can heavily influence the standards that kids (and adults) set for themselves.

8. If you could change one thing about the world to make it better, what change would that change be?

If I could change one thing about the world to improve it, I’d change the perception of women in society to have them finally be viewed as equals. Women should be able to hold more positions of power, respect, and influence, without the judgment that we have always been faced with. The public acceptance of women has come a far way and is still improving, but in this day and age we should not still be this far behind, and still suffering through daily prejudice based on gender.