Marissa Graham - April 2011

Marissa Graham, a senior at Walt Whitman High School, has been dancing since the age of three. At school, she studies ballet, modern, composition and dance history, and has performed in the musical productions Into the Woods, Beauty and the Beast and Fiddler On the Roof. She also studies at the Ohman School of Ballet. As a member of New York Dance Theatre, she has performed in The Nutcracker twice.

In 2007, Marissa's talent in choreography was recognized locally by the New York State Parent-Teacher Association's "Reflections" program. In 2010, she received their Award of Excellence, moving her forward to State-level competition. Marissa has had a full load of Advanced Placement courses throughout her four years in high school. She is a member of the French Honor Society, the National Honor Society for Dance Arts, and is a prospective member of the National Honor Society. She plans to major in dance performance in college and to pursue a professional career as a dancer.