When SEED Miami eighth-grader Janasia signed up for AileyCamp Miami, hosted by the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, she never dreamed that it would lead to a meeting with First Lady Michelle Obama! But sure enough, her participation in this exposure opportunity led to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
To witness a burst of pure joy, watch Janasia's spontaneous hug with First Lady Michelle Obama!
This summer, Janasia participated in AileyCamp Miami, a summer program for middle-school students that teaches self-expression and self-esteem through dance and drumming. Her extraordinary determination and persistence distinguished her in the program, making her the perfect candidate to represent the program when it received the 2016 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award in Washington, D.C.
Janasia's hug with the First Lady was just one of several highlights from her trip to Washington, D.C.! It was also her first time traveling on a plane or outside the state of Florida, and she took full advantage of the trip by visiting the new National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Mall while she was in D.C.