Fatou Njie, DRT Assistant Summer Camp Manager 2017
On Friday, June 9, 2017, Fatou Njie, will join her senior class from Kestrel Heights School to walk down the aisle at North Carolina Central University’s McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium and receive her high school diploma.
Saturday morning, June 10, Fatou Njie will start work as DRT’S ACM – assisting artistic director Jennifer Justice in training DRT summer teaching assistants from middle and high schools around the triangle. Ms. Njie’s ACM work will include supervising these teen teaching assistants. Last year Fatou was a summer teaching assistant herself, making her DRT’S third teaching assistant to “Mentor-Up,” first volunteering in a variety of ways then being paid a stipend as a vital member of DRT’S summer camp staff – and receiving crucial work experience for the future.
We’re proud of the leaders we help to train at DRT; we benefit from their talents, dedication and skill. We are pleased to announce the hiring of Fatou Njie as our ACM, summer 2017.
From June 10th – August 18th, Ms. Njie will coordinate or carry out most on-site administrative aspects of DRT’S successful summer theatre day-camps for ages 5 – 18 -years. Additionally, the ACM supports 4-6 teen interns per camp and assists with camp activities, leading acting games and helping actors rehearse their shows. She is the first line of communications with the facilities manager at our beautiful Trinity Avenue Presbyterian Church campsite.
Fatou Njie’s previous experiences with DRT made her an ideal candidate for the ACM position this year. She was first attracted to DRT through our website, looking for a multi-ethnic theater group. She auditioned for DRT’S 2016 original musical, “Alice,” and was cast in several small roles, including the chorus. She also got involved assisting with and participating in DRT winter and spring advanced acting classes and Hamlet Project Durham. She volunteered as a teen teaching assistant for summer camps 2016 and participated in the three-week Teen Theatre Conservatory.
In fall 2016, Ms. Njie was directing assistant for DRT’S first Main Stage show of the season, “Walk Two Moons,” by Tom Arvetis based on the Newbery Medal-winning book by Sharon Creech; when an actor fell ill, Fatou took over acting her two parts, while continuing to participate in Hamlet Project Durham through spring 2017.
Fatou Njie says: As an intern last year … I learned how important it is to make summer camps a positive and enjoyable learning environment for not just the campers, but also the interns ... Some of my skills include being a hard worker and keeping my head when people around me are losing theirs.
At Kestrel Heights High, Fatou is renowned as an artist and a fencer. She believes fencing will give her the speed and agility of mind and body required for the hard work of supporting DRT’S exciting summer theatre camps.
Fatou hopes being part of our team will help her reach her goal of being accepted at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. She has a good start, as AMDA has offered her VIP status, meaning she will not be charged an application fee and is automatically considered for scholarships. Ms. Njie is also applying to North Carolina A & T State University’s outstanding theatre program.
We welcome Fatou Njie to DRT’S summer camp staff and look forward to a successful 7th summer of theatre and community!