Young Actress Overcomes Challenges on and off the Stage
Milenka, 15-years-old, Math Level O & Reading Program Completer
With a passion for the arts, 15-year-old Milenka spends much of her free time outside of school performing, writing, and making films. One of her greatest accomplishments was being selected from over 400 students to participate in the Papermill Playhouse’s August Musical Intensive Summer Program. Over the course of four weeks, Milenka and 20 other young, talented artists learned to take risks and go beyond their comfort zone. On the final day of the program, she performed with the group and showcased her exponential growth.
When Milenka’s parents enrolled her in Kumon at the early age of four, she quickly saw a boost in her confidence and developed a will to never give up, no matter what challenge comes her way. Milenka’s biggest lesson has been learning and growing from her own mistakes on and off of the stage.
“Kumon has taught me to be persistent and remain resilient in all aspects of life. As an actress, audition rejections are common, and mistakes always happen. By believing in my own abilities and carrying on, I learn to embrace the lessons learned from failure,” said Milenka.
“Resilience has led me to get back up and to continue growing. If I had just given up after one audition rejection, I would not be where I am today. I now find myself taking risks when performing and writing scripts. During auditions, I know that I should not be afraid of rejection and making mistakes because it is a natural part of learning.”
Milenka was one of 155 students from Canada, USA and Mexico who attended the Virtual Kumon Student Conference. The students had the opportunity to be inspired and motivated by Kumon Ambassadors, former top Kumon Students who are now excelling in their careers and extracurricular pursuits. They also met each other in virtual breakout rooms and engaged in a discussion about methods of teaching.
“The Student Conference was an eye-opening experience, and it was so inspiring to hear from the Kumon Ambassadors,” said Milenka. “Seeing kids my age who had already accomplished so much makes me wonder how I can contribute to my community and society in the future.”
Milenka shares with us who her inspiration is and her plans for the future.
What do you enjoy most about Kumon?
It’s the best feeling when you finally understand a challenging concept. Every milestone from achievement tests to tackling a new topic in the same level boosts my confidence. As a Reading Program Completer and being on the last level of the Math Program, I am so driven to finish.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Combining my love for astronomy and biology, I want to work on space medicine research. I believe in the possibilities of space, but the capabilities of human bodies are limited. I am an avid supporter of continuing space exploration to learn about the history of the universe and even the possibility of other life forms. Space medicine is not just for astronauts, but for everyone on earth. My grandfather suffers from Alzheimer’s, so I would like to eventually use the benefits of space medicine to create new treatments for neurological disorders through the specific use of studying protein structures in detail.
In addition to science, I am also really creative. I’ve always dreamed of producing and directing my own film. One day, I want to produce a documentary about innovative space medicine and educate everyone about the possibilities.
Who is your biggest inspiration and why?
My biggest inspiration is my older sister. She’s incredibly smart, but she didn’t get to where she is now without all of her hard work. She’s the one who taught me that you can be naturally talented, but it doesn’t mean anything unless you put in the proper amount of time and work to hone your skills.
Any other information you would like to share about your Kumon experience?
Kumon is definitely an important part of who I am. As a member of the Kumon “family” for a decade now, I cannot imagine where I would be without the experiences and challenges, I’ve experienced in my journey. From completing two pages and 30 minutes a day, Kumon has helped me achieve so much and I know that because of Kumon, I’ve grown from the frustration into someone who’s fearless and passionate. Thank you to the Kumon of Edison- North Center!