SAN ANTONIO –
A local high school providing an immersion in the arts for students who hope to one day have a career in their craft was named among the top 10 in the country.
The Hollywood Reporter listed North East School of the Arts, or NESA, as No. 8 in the country for "launching young talent."
For 18 years, NESA has been situated on the campus of Robert E. Lee High School in the North East Independent School District.
Students from all over Bexar County audition to be enrolled in NESA.
Out of the 300 who auditioned last year, 102 were accepted.
Even though they are in high school, students choose from seven majors in the arts, which include dance, music theater, instrumental music, creative writing, visual arts, cinema and technical theater.
"Its actually an amazing starting ground for kids who want to grow up to practice their art for the rest of their lives," said NESA senior, Aria Braswell, who hopes to be on Broadway someday.
Chloe Treat, a graduate of the NESA class of 2009 and a director/choreographer in New York City, is returning to the campus this fall to direct a show.
"When you've been in a BFA program and then are working in professional theater and then you're going to work at a high school, there's a little bit of nerves about what that talent pool is going to look like. But there's such an amazing level of talent here," Treat said.
"I think the most powerful thing for our students is that they find their tribe when they arrive," said acting teacher, David Connelly. "They find people like themselves. They might've felt weird or like outcasts where they were. But they come here and they are completely able to just be who they are."
NESA has an enrollment of 400 students between grades 9-12.