My hopes for 2023 by Emily Gravenstede

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you had a lovely Christmas holiday. It’s January now and I’ve been asked to write a bit about what I’m hoping to get up to this next year.

I still go to Stagecoach [performing arts school] every Saturday where I do a lesson in singing, acting and dancing. We are putting on a show soon. My group are doing extracts from ‘My Fair Lady’ and I am very much looking forward to it. I also have way more theatrical fun to look forward to. I’ve joined the performing arts club in school and they will be doing a show in the summer. I am also hoping to go on a West End Vocal Workshop for a few days in the Easter Holidays and do a musical in a week (Hercules) with Stagecoach in the summer.

I’ve just got back from a fun weekend with the Winchester Area String Orchestra (WASTO - I play violin). We did lots of playing music and some outdoors activities. I go to WASTO every Wednesday and will have concerts at the end of each term. That’s not the only musical instrument I learn. I got a ukulele for Christmas and I am hoping to learn to play lots of songs on it this year. I also still play piano and sing.

Nothing has been booked yet, but I am really hoping we go on a brilliant summer holiday. My Mum tells me we are going to do something good, but we are not quite sure what as yet.

This year I will finish year 7 at school and then move into year 8 in September. It will be good not to be in the youngest year anymore. Secondary school is becoming easier as I am settling in. I am now much more confident to ask teachers if I can leave lessons five minutes early to give me more time to walk to my next lesson. I am really enjoying school and this term I get to do food technology and I am looking forward to getting to cook something for dinner once every fortnight.