The Missouri Fine Arts Academy provides a unique program of artistic, extracurricular, and social opportunities to Missouri's talented high school students, and has done so since 1996. Click here to learn more about MFAA...
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"Thank you for providing me with such an amazing educational opportunity. I view the day I received my letter of acceptance to the Fine Arts Academy as the greatest day of my life. The first occurred at the end of March this year when I received my letter of acceptance into..." Click here to read more.
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Resident Assistants
The Academy Resident Assistant’s job is to help students and assure a safe and orderly MFAA. Each student is assigned one RA, who supervises the group of Academy students with whom he or she lives. Nowhere is the MFAA ensemble spirit more obvious than in the RA staff. The RAs with whom MFAA students live and work are sources of inspiration, intrigue, guidance, and support for everyone within the Academy family. They hold the primarily responsibility of maintaining a safe and orderly residence hall, but help assure students’ adherence to expectations through the academic day and at co-curricular and extra-curricular events. RAs are charged with helping to ensure the safety, security, whereabouts, wellbeing, and general good time of Academy students. They model for students just how much fun hard work can be.
Robert Battle
Robert Battle is originally from St. Louis, MO where he attended the Central Visual & Performing Arts High School and graduated from Kirkwood Senior High School. During his time at Kirkwood High, Robert sang in the KHS A Cappella Choir, Men's Choir, Show Choir, E. Des Lee Collaborative Choir, Youth Gospel Music Conference Recording Choir, Tabernacle of Life Leadership Choir and the St. Louis Suburban All-District Choir for two years. Robert also received I ratings in the Solo and Small Ensemble Festivals for solo singing and a senior quartet. Robert Battle is a choral music education student at the University of Missouri, Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance where he sings in the top ensemble, Conservatory Singers. In the past, Robert was a part of the Vox Vir Men's Ensemble, Conservatory Concert Choir, Canticum Novum, and the legendary Heritage Chorale. This past year, Robert made his professional singing debut with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus under Grammy award winning conductor Mr. Charles Buffy. Just recently, he also sang solos with the SWACDA All-Collegiate Choir and with UMKC Conservatory choirs on Mendelssohn's St. Paul. During his time at UMKC thus far, Robert has had the opportunity to work under such conductors as Dr. Ryan Board, Dr. Charles Robinson, Dr. Jerry McCoy, Dr. Peter Bagley, Dr. William Dehnning, Dr. Paul Crabb, and Dr. Eph Ehly. Robert is a member of the Conservatory Student Association and the American Choral Directors Association, is the president of the Collegiate Music Educators National Conference, and is currently a Community Assistant for the UMKC Department of Residential Life.
Sarah Hughes
Sarah Hughes had her life changed for the better when she attended the Missouri Fine Arts Academy in 2004 for theater. She soaked up everything from Interdisciplinary classes to Hamlet, and made serious friends in the meantime. Her childhood was spent in St. Louis County and she graduated from Rockwood Summit High in 2005. Sarah came to love and adopt Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas as her home for the last four years, and will be sad/elated to have graduated with an anthropology major this spring. In her time there she threw herself into anthropology research, working on her theater scholarship, beekeeping and working on the literary magazine. Theater has always been a huge part of Sarah's life. She has been acting and working on crews since 6th grade, and by high school was earning leads, stage managing and presiding over her Thespian Society. She has mostly devoted herself to costuming the last few years, which combines her love of theater and crafts. Her other hobbies include finding eclectic new music, NPR, writing short stories and attempting to cook Indian food. These days Sarah looks at a more uncertain future in the real world, but she's thrilled to have the support of the fine arts community.
Marcy Kamler
Marcy Kamler has been a Resident Assistant for the Missouri Fine Arts Academy since 2006. Marcy graduated from Webb City High School in 2003, where she was a percussionist in the marching band and played the upright bass in concert band. Although the Webb City school district did not have an orchestra program, Marcy took violin solos to the district and state competitions. She also performed in Missouri Southern State University Orchestra while attending high school. One of her most memorable experiences was attending the Missouri Fine Arts Academy in the summer of 2002. Her experience at the Academy was truly life changing, and it was there that she decided to pursue a career in the arts. Marcy is a 2008 graduate of Missouri State University, where she received a bachelor's degree in Music Education. In college, she worked as a Resident Assistant for the Missouri State University Department of Residence Life and Services. She was also a member of the Missouri State University Symphony Orchestra, and the Missouri State Chamber Orchestra. After graduating from Missouri State, Marcy took one semester of music therapy coursework at Drury University, where she became passionate about teaching children with autism through music. Marcy currently lives in Shreveport, and teaches instrumental music in The Caddo Parish of Louisiana.
Michael Muhoho
Michael Muhoho hails from Kenya, on the East Coast of Africa. He graduated from Mang'u High School in Kenya in 2001. While in high school, Michael participated in the Kenya National Music Festivals in which he attained distinctions in recorder. He and three other students were selected as the best recorder group in the country, a title which they defended the year after. Michael joined St. Austin's Academy in December 2001, where he helped piece together and participate in Parents' Day. A year later he came to the U.S. and joined, then-Southwest Missouri State University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Marketing in May 2007 and recently with a Masters in Business Administration in May, 2009. Michael was a Resident Assistant for one and a half years in one of the residence halls that is predominantly filled with international students. He hosted the 2007 Annual Association of International Student's Banquet and show. This is Michael's third year as a Resident Assistant for the Missouri Fine Arts Academy.
Kara Rainey
Kara Rainey graduated in 2007 from Ouachita Baptist University with degrees in Choral Music Education and Vocal Performance and is currently pursuing a Master of Music in both Opera Performance and Musical Theatre from Arizona State University. Her favorite musical and theatre credits include roles in Cosi Fan Tutti, H.M.S. Pinafore, Anything Goes, Die Zauberflote, Naomi in the Living Room, The Sound of Music, Pinocchio: the Opera, Superfudge!, Final Placement, and Footloose. She attended MFAA in 2002 and graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 2003. Currently, Kara is a Graduate TA with the Herberger College of the Arts at ASU where she teaches Artspace, an interdisciplinary arts experience for children and youth throughout the Phoenix area. She is a member of the Phoenix Alumnae chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, Theta Alpha Phi Theatre Fraternity, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). After graduating from Arizona State, Kara plans to pursue a PhD in Arts Administration. This is her fourth year as an RA, and she cannot wait for the magic to begin!
Lacey Lee Seiffertt
Lacey Lee Seiffertt is another soulful artist from the great city of St. Louis on the muddy Mississippi. She has been honored to be a part of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy not only as an RA but also as a student only five years ago. It was this experience that sparked her love for music and the art of performance. Over the last five years Lacey has accomplished more than she ever dreamed possible. In the past four years, she has honed her harp skills under the instruction of Darice Augustson. In her sophomore year, she won the position of Principal Harpist for the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and the MSU Concerto Competition. She has performed with Grammy-nominated artist Deborah Henson-Conant, as well as with the winner of the 2008 America's Got Talent: Neal E. Boyd. Lacey was recognized for excellence in performance by receiving the top awards in her junior and senior years. She will graduate magna cum laude from Missouri State University Honor's College with a degree in Harp Performance and a minor in Marketing. This fall, Lacey is thrilled to begin her Masters of Music degree at the Eastman School of Music and will be the Teaching Assistant for Kathleen Bride. The arts have given Lacey so much and this chance to give back to other budding artists is the reason she is ecstatic to be a part of the 2009 Missouri Fine Arts Academy.
Lauren Stuckey
Lauren Stuckey is a vocal music education/piano major in her senior year at Missouri State. She plans to teach at the elementary or high school level. After she graduates from MSU, Lauren plans to go on to earn her Master's degree in Educational Administration. She currently sings with the Missouri State Concert Chorale and Chamber Singers, and studies piano with Dr. Wei-Han Su. Although Lauren studies music in college, she attended the MFAA as a visual arts student. Lauren is from O'Fallon, Missouri and graduated from Ft. Zumwalt North High School. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and playing the piano.
Rachel Valdivia
Rachel Valdivia grew up in Kansas City and went to Bishop Miege High School. In high school she took every art class offered at high school and was part of the set design crew for the theatre department. Rachel currently attends the University of Missouri-Kansas City where she is studying Art Education and was in the fall 2008 Student Art Show for her photography. Along with school, Rachel enjoys watching the food network and salsa dancing!
Wes Warnhoff
Wes Warnhoff is going to be a senior at Missouri State University. He is from Columbia, Missouri and is a Clarinet Performance major studying with Dr. Dr. Allison Storochuk. He is the performing principal clarinetist in both the Missouri State Wind Ensemble as well as the Missouri State University Symphony Orchestra. Wes is an alumnus of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy from the year 2005. He is an accomplished soloist, performing multiple concerti with both Wind Ensemble and full orchestral accompaniment. He also performed a solo recital in the spring including monumental works by Eric Mandat, Joan Tower, and Aram Khachaturian. He is the winner of the Fite Grant for outstanding instrumentalist as well as winning the 2009 concerto competition hosted by Missouri State Symphony. Wes also helps the Missouri Fine Arts Academy's annual effort to raise awareness and funds to keep the Academy alive.
Nicole (Nicki) Werner
Nicki Werner is originally from St. Louis and attended Notre Dame High School. She attended Missouri Fine Arts Academy in 2004. She graduated this spring from Drake University in Des Moines, IA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture and printmaking and a Bachelor of Arts in art history. In the fall she will be attending University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign for her Master of Fine Arts in sculpture. She has exhibited in local, regional, and national shows and received numerous awards. This is her second summer as an RA at the Academy, and she is very excited to be a part of it again.
Marnie Williams
Marnie Williams is going to be a junior at Missouri State University majoring in the BFA Theatre Performance program. She attended Missouri Fine Arts Academy in 2006 and graduated from Branson High, 2007. During high school Marnie was involved in cheerleading, volleyball, basketball, track, dance team, and band, playing center snare her senior year. She performed in her first show at the age of eight in Dino's Christmas Extravaganza. Since then she was also been seen in Jim Stafford's Theatre, Mississippi Love, Country Tonite, and Veggie Tales at Silver Dollar City. Even though she has danced all her life, her career goals are in the field of acting. Not only has Marnie found love in dancing and acting, but also clogging. She is a seven time national champion clogger. While on the team "The Clogging Sensation," she went to the Junior Olympics winning seven gold medals. Besides clogging, Marnie's other favorite pastimes are watching t.v. and eating Oreos.
