We started our day off with a morning hike, it was a good time to get the cast all in sync and prepared for the nights show. The hike was up to Author's seat and it was a little exhausting but eventually we made it to the top. The scenery was amazing, we overlooked all of the beautiful Edinburgh.

Afterwards we came back to the dorms to shower because we all smelled horrible. Everyone got ready and we showed some support and watched a performance from South Carolina. It mentally prepared us for the night and soon after we were headed back home. It got everyone excited to see what we were up against and were prepared to have the best opening night yet...

SHOW TIME. It was finally time to get on the bus and our nerves still weren't that bad. It wasn't until we knew how big our audience was that we knew we had to perform the best we've ever had. On the bus the other school was a little rowdy, and the cast was silent. The moment we stepped off the bus everything became so surreal. For most of us we finally realized that we were actually halfway across the world. From the moment Roseanna started singing to our curtain call there was complete focus from the audience. The show was performed phenomenal, it was the best we had performed yet. The aftermath was just as exciting because when we walked out of the building again we were greeted with a roar of applause. A moment most of us won't ever FORGET. Overall the day was amazing and eventful but well worth the year of dedication and long hours of worry. In that moment of applause amogst all of those who stood to honor our work and how well we embodied our characters, all the blood, sweat, and tears vanished.

Love,

Maddie and Ant❤️

Day 5 of living our dream in the ever so anticipated trip of going to Scotland. Today we started with a productive day of tech rehearsal, seeing the venue for the first time was so surreal, it made us realize that this is actually happening a group of students from Victorville are performing in the fringe for people that share a mutual feeling of passion for theatre. Seeing the venue also set feeling of determination, to make our show better than ever before!

Afterwards we had an endless amount of fun in an improv class that that constantly had on our toes. One has to be very clever to think of funny things to say on the spot, but I think we did quite well. You could feel a safe environment in the air, everyone was comfortable, and most importantly having fun. We didn't want the class to end, but unfortunately all good things must come to an end, however we did attend their show at night. But before that we had to treat ourselves first, we went out into town and had a look at the many stores in town, let's just say shopping was a success. Once we had dinner we left straight for the Baby wants candy improv musical which was absolutely phenomenal! Everything seem so scripted and perfect, I must say I'm still amazed. Before we knew it the spectacular show was over and we headed to dorms for a restful night of sleep. Can't wait to see what tomorrow's adventure will hold! Goodbye all the way from Scotland!

-Maya & JC signing out!

Written by Jeancarlos Carias

You have all put up with a year of hearing SCOTLAND this and Scotland that, well today we are finally in Scotland.

It was an early morning this morning as we had to have our bags on the luggage truck at 5:30 am. Four hours later we boarded the train at Kings Cross Station. It was a charter train full of all of the student actors performing at this year's Fringe.

The scenery we saw during our eight hour ride was spectacular, the noise level inside the train left a bit to be desired. The VVHS Drama students were of course on their best behavior and offended by those not acting accordingly.

As we stepped off of the train in Edinburgh we were greeted by bagpipes. It was such an emotional moment for me, as it symbolized all that we have been working for this year.

I'm conclusion 'm so excited to replace the phrase "Troupe 2757 Goes to Scotland" with "Troupe 2757 is in Scotland!"

Hello VVHS drama fans, gossip girl here to discuss the scandalous lives of Victor Valley's elite. We begin our morning by rudely awakening Anthony & Armon by barging into their rooms and making them wake up in order to make it in time for breakfast. Though rushing through breakfast, we did take time to enjoy one of the most exquisite & historical theaters in the world, The Globe. While enjoying this, we were able to step back in time and experience the world of William Shakespeare. We also got to be a part of an amazing, hands on, acting workshop. Our oldest boy in the group ALSO had some trouble today. We hear that Mr. Nocera went on a cycling ride early in the morning, and was nowhere to be found 7 hours later. During this period of waiting for our oldest child, the rest of us took a magical trip to Platform 9 3/4, where we met some awesome people! Jessica, a class of 2002 alumni of VVHS, joined us in the exploration of Camden Market, as she now lives in London. Our day ends with a spectacular trip to a West End show in Victoria Palace. We watched Billy Elliot, which was absolutely phenomenal!

And tomorrow, the real adventure begins, (very early in the morning, in fact.) We will FINALLY be heading to Edinburgh, Scotland! Stay tuned for more gossip.

You know you love us, XOXO, Gossip Girl.

AKA, Power Couple

AKA, Armon & Vanessa

After a red eye flight that involved very little sleep and lots of excitement, we arrived in London today. It's still hard to believe that we really did this, that we are really here. There was a huge cycling race going on, so due to many road closures, we ended up doing a walking tour and had quick stops at a lot of the London landmarks. After ending our walking tour at Buckingham Palace, we boarded the bus and ended up stuck in traffic worse than LA traffic, due to the bike race. We decided to get off the bus and hoof it to our hotel. We were so glad we did this, as we really enjoyed our walk along the river. Tonight we went on the London Eye which was a fabulous ending to our first day. All 14 of the students are great travelers and took in everything with amazement today. On tomorrow's agenda... The Globe and much much more!

Pardon the cheesy Beatles reference, but we're feeling very British lately, as our departure for London is only16 days away.  Luckily for us, our tour begins in London and I know a lot more about the music scene there, it's difficult to allude to bagpipe music.  

I digress though, the sole purpose of this post is to make sure that everyone knows the easiest way to give us funds to help us over our final fundraising obstacle.  We could still really use $15,000.  Yes, that's a lot of money.  We are trying to focus on what we've already accomplished, which is raising $85,000.  Wow, in one year, we've fundraised $85,000, pretty impressive! 

If you would like to contribute either for the first time, or as a repeat contributor, please e-mail me at jnocera@vvuhsd.org.  I will then send you an e-card that makes it very easy to make a direct donation to our adventure. 

If you'd like to donate to us in person and see our show for the last time on U.S. soil, please join us on July 24th for our Scotland Send-off.

It's so hard to believe that we leave for Scotland in 23 days!  Something that has seemed like a dream for much of the year is becoming more and more real every day.  Yes, we are going! And, yes, we are still fundraising.  Our accomplishments are remarkable and we HOPE we make it over our final hurdle ($19,000 to go).  
Our current fundraiser is called "Adopt an Actor" and as we were kicking off this campaign, I asked the cast to write short bios for each other.  We have become quite the tight knit group over the course of the year and through all of our events, the bond is pretty remarkable and heart warming.  I'd like to share the photos and the bios here, as you read them, you will see how much respect these guys have for each other.  If you're interested in "adopting" one of the actors, please send an e-mail to jnocera@vvuhsd.org.  7 of them are adopted and 7 still need a sponsor.  The "adoption" fee is $200 and will help to impact the life of one of these kids forever! 

ARMON MAGEE is the most thoughtful person I know. He is such an amazing actor, who can portray any character. Armon has so much love and devotion for what he does and it encourages everyone to want to achieve more.

MADDIE WHITING is an incredibly hilarious person to be around on stage and off. Her love for acting is truly inspiring and I can't think of a more deserving, hard working individual. She takes her characters to a whole new level and embraces her role. Not only is she an incredible actress, but she is a butt-kicking volleyball star and an amazing friend.

ANTHONY APONTE is a very funny person, extremely easy to hold a conversation with. He will always make you feel loved, especially when you're having a bad day. He is a very strong person and loves to help others, he is a natural born leader and is a great person to be around. On stage, his presence is definitely felt and he owns the stage when he needs to. ANTHONY WAS ADOPTED BY ERIN LOSCHINSKEY

MAYA COLEMAN is an intelligent, committed, and inspiring student. She has brought many positive qualities to VVHS Drama by putting on powerful and eye-opening performances, especially in the With Their Eyes Cast. She is talented and focused and applies those qualities to other clubs on campus. She began drama as a Sophomore and is now a senior, that will be graduating soon, but has definitely left her mark. MAYA WAS ADOPTED BY JAMIE AND BRIAN CARLSON

JEANCARLOS CARIAS is a very happy and enthusiastic person. He is so much fun to be around and is a great leader. JC can portray any character he is given, and can always connect with his character. You can always see his love and passion for acting in his eyes. JEANCARLOS WAS ADOPTED BY JEN PARSLEY

BIANCA SERNA is a true testament to the growth as both a person and an actress that can occur through participation in VVHS Drama. She is a joy to watch perform. She is the most caring, loving and beautiful person inside and out. BIANCA WAS ADOPTED BY EMILY AND NOE RUIZ

MYIA SESSION Is possibly one of the greatest actors I've seen perform live. She has such an incredible talent and passion for her work; always understanding that there are improvements to be made. Myia cares for her fellow cast members and is an extremely supportive individual. She understands the importance of loving interaction in a production. MYIA WAS ADOPTED BY MARY MURRAH- ALEXANDER

RAELEEN WATSON brings good vibes to rehearsals. She has a positive attitude that brings energy to the cast. She is an all-around fun person to be around and is very motivated when she wants to achieve something.

VANESSA GARCIA is a driven and motivated young woman. She is wise beyond her years and carries herself with confidence and poise. She is always enthusiastic, dedicated and caring. Vanessa has a strong command of the stage and makes an immediate connection with her audience. Vanessa shines on stage and off. VANESSA WAS ADOPTED BY ASHLEY BRINEGAR

SHELBY COLE-PRETTY  is a very fun and outgoing person. She is very shy when you first meet her, but once you get to know her, she is the loudest girl you'll ever meet. She is an outstanding actor. Any role or emotion she has to portray, she dedicates her all to it. Adopt her!

MARQUIS HARRELL is so confident in his own skin. He can put a smile on anyone's face, even if he doesn't have a smile on his own. He's never afraid to speak his mind and always goes for what he wants. He is truly one of the most genuine people you will ever meet. He works hard to portray his characters, and anything that needs fixing he will keep working on until he gets it right.

RAFAEL ROMO  is a dedicated and tenacious actor. You'll never get bored when you are around Rafael. His passion for drama is one that can not be matched by anyone.

SEAN TODD is a very funny person, and I absolutely adore him. He takes acting very seriously. He's just an amazing person to be around, and is such a great performer and director. SEAN WAS ADOPTED BY XAVIER AND CHRISTINA GAMEZ

I believe that opportunity looks a lot like hard work.

Ashton Kutcher

I believe it was last year that this message from Ashton Kutcher went viral. In this speech he spoke of the values that were instilled in him growing up in Iowa. The speech spoke loudly to me, as I feel like I obtained many of the same philosophies growing up there myself.

This entire school year has been about an amazing opportunity that I just could not pass up. As I've said many times, it is the opportunity of a lifetime for my students. As our dream becomes more reality than dream, the magnitude of the opportunity we have been given increases.

At this point, we've almost reached the end of the school year, and the students will tell you, it has been hard. They will also tell you all of the wonderful things this challenge has already brought their way. Confidence, determination, creativity, connections, endurance, personal growth, pride, to name a few. Our selection to The Fringe has given us the opportunity to acquire all of this, before we even travel.

Because of hard work, my students will now possess these qualities for the rest of their lives. They will carry on and teach someone else about the opportunities that arise when one works hard.

Our work isn't finished, we have another month to meet our fundraising goals. If you can help us, please click on the donate here button on our home page. I guarantee that you will be helping one of the hardest working groups of young adults to experience the opportunity of a lifetime!

Some snapshots from our latest fundraiser at Chipotle.

The cast performs at our annual arts recognition night, The Black and White Affair.

Our phenomenal group

Drama department award winners, 2015.

On Friday, two of our actors were given the opportunity to speak on Y 102 about our latest fundraising venture. 300 to 100. If we can find 300 people or businesses to donate $100, we will reach our fundraising goal and you'll get to stop hearing us ask for donations! 😊 Once we reach that magic number, our blogs will be filled with exiting updates about rehearsing, packing, and traveling! Here are a few pictures of Bianca and Jeancarlos as they hit the airwaves!

The seniors began their "farewell tour" tonight at prom which was held at the Nixon Library. They all looked so beautiful and grown up. It makes me sad to think about the kids that I've spent so much time with this year, leaving our school. Luckily, we get some bonus time as we travel through Europe together this summer. Below are some great pics I was able to snap.