The 11-year-old leveraged the many benefits of online learning to explore her passion for theater and rack up her accomplishments in the world of fine arts.
Aditi’s love affair with theatrical expression and creative writing began when she was in second grade. Late last summer, a local youth theater company invited her to contribute ideas for a special project that explored the COVID-19 pandemic through the eyes of kids and teens.
Aditi’s submission captured the attention of many. Not only was she selected for publication in the “I Have a Story” anthology, she was also paired with professional playwright Dr. Susan Zeder to develop her work into a theatrical play.
But Aditi’s talent and fortune didn’t stop there. Thanks in large part to Zeder’s mentorship, a publishing company now holds a copyright for the manuscript on which Aditi is officially billed as the co-author.
Aditi’s play, titled “Whoosh,” was performed for the first time a few months ago by a group of fifth and sixth graders at The Lucy School, an art-based grade school in Maryland. It follows the story of a group of friends who get sucked into the world of Google Earth; the only way out is to save the planet. The friends’ quest to escape weaves together poignant messages about important issues, including deforestation, poverty, hunger, global warming and endangered species, all set against the backdrop of the pandemic.
Inspiration for the tale came from Aditi’s own experience in the early days of COVID, when she and her friends created imaginary adventures via Google Earth to replace their highly anticipated trips that were ultimately canceled in light of the outbreak.
Aditi and her parents originally chose ASU Prep Digital’s online learning program as a safer means for education during the pandemic. Aditi has a health condition that makes it even more prudent for her to reduce her exposure to COVID-19. But aside from the safety that online learning offers, being an ASU Prep Digital student opened a world of opportunity for her.
ASU Prep Digital’s flexible online education programs allowed Aditi to learn at her own pace, giving her the time and space to explore her interests and develop new skills—like playwriting. Each ASU Prep Digital student is assigned a Learning Success Coach to guide them through their academic challenges, help them manage their time and pursue extracurriculars for a well-rounded education experience.
Beyond her first published play, Aditi’s work will soon be published in another anthology called “The Next Generation.” She’s also working on a fantasy novel and launching an Etsy store showcasing more of her creative expressions. As a budding creative, Aditi is unarguably destined for greatness.
For more information on ASU Prep Digital’s unique online learning platform, visit ASUPrepDigital.org.
