CLASS OF 2020: Featuring Madison MacNeill. Creative! Committed! Courageous!
Madison, pictured above. Photo courtesy of Madison MacNeill.
Student Interviews on the Impact of the Arts
The Burbank Arts for All Foundation is proud to highlight students in the CLASS OF 2020 who have been part of the robust arts community in Burbank Unified School District classrooms. We hope you enjoy reading about their experiences and getting to know them as we celebrate an important milestone in their lives: high school graduation.
Today, we present to you Madison MacNeill, who studied photography at John Burroughs High School. Madison will be studying fashion design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco this Fall. Congratulations Madison!
“If you love it, pursue it. Try something new. Don’t give up.”
My name is Madison MacNeill, and I am 18 years old. I have been in the photography program throughout my entire high school career at John Burroughs High School. Although my passion has strayed away from photography, and I am now proceeding to study fashion, I still occasionally take photos.
What was your first experience with the arts while in the Burbank Unified Schools?
My first experience in the arts in Burbank has consisted of being a part of the performing arts. I participated in the variety show at Roosevelt every year and continued to participate when I joined the choir in middle school.
What art experience in the schools are you most proud of, and how did it impact you?
Throughout my education, I have mostly participated in the performing arts, but I think the experience I am most proud of happened in my sophomore year of high school. A photo that I was incredibly proud of managed to get first place at a contest I entered!
What advice do you have for younger students interested in doing something like what you do?
If you love it, pursue it. Try something new. Don’t give up.
Please share your plans for your future after graduation. Are you going on to college?
If so, where and what do you hope to study? I’m planning on attending a four-year university and majoring in fashion styling. I am attending the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Do you expect the arts to continue to play a role in your life, and if so, how?
In 5 years, I hope to be wildly successful, making and creating looks for celebrities. I want to be many things, so I’m sure photography will help me on my path to success.
One of Madison's photographs, pictured above, also the winner of the PTA Reflections Award.