Listening Between the Notes

Listening Between the Notes:                                                   

How Caleia Found New Ways to Create

What if a song could be turned into a poem?

For Caleia, that question began with an experience at Brown University and grew into an idea she hopes to bring back to SOUNDS Academy.

Over the past two summers, Caleia had opportunities to explore, learn, and challenge herself in new ways. In 2025, she attended Brown University, where she discovered new connections between visual art and writing. In 2026, she continued that journey through college coursework at the Maricopa Community Colleges, where she developed the academic discipline and leadership skills to prepare her for college.

Together, these experiences have helped Caleia discover that being a musician doesn’t mean limiting yourself to music. Sometimes, the most interesting ideas happen when different worlds come together.

A Creative Spark at Brown University

Caleia’s connection between music and writing began during her 2025 Summer@Brown experience at Brown University.

While there, she explored the arts from a different perspective. Through a visit to the Rhode Island School of Design, she learned about ekphrastic writing, a form of creative writing inspired by visual art.

The idea stuck with her, and she began thinking about how it could be applied elsewhere. “We could write poems about music,” she explained. “Instead of physical descriptions of art, we could write about the tone or tempo of a song.”

For Caleia, translating those musical elements into poetry creates a new way for musicians to explore what they hear and feel.

Her experience at Brown encouraged her to make connections between disciplines and think creatively about how one art form can inspire another.

Now she’s excited to bring this idea to SOUNDS Academy and share it with other students.

Taking on College at Maricopa Community Colleges

In 2026, Caleia continued building on her academic experience through Maricopa Community Colleges. This summer, she took English 102 and Gender and Society. These were online courses, so Caleia had to create her own schedule and hold herself accountable to complete everything. English 102 required a paper every week, while Gender and Society had daily assignments.

It wasn’t easy, but Caleia discovered that perseverance and leadership helped in her studies. “I persevered to keep up with everything and maintain the same level of dedication in my classes from the beginning to the end,” she said. “I also used leadership to log into the course every day and complete assignments on time, to the best of my ability.”

For Caleia, leadership wasn’t necessarily about standing in front of a group or telling others what to do. It was about showing up, taking responsibility, and following through.

Caleia has completed 47 college credits and plans to take another 12 this year—four college classes alongside her high school coursework—to earn her associate’s degree when she graduates high school. Taking this extra step in education already makes her a leader.

Making the Most of an Unexpected Summer

Caleia’s 2026 summer didn’t unfold exactly as planned.

She had originally hoped to travel to Greece. When those plans fell through, Caleia found another way to make her summer meaningful. Instead of letting a change in plans stop her, she embraced the opportunities available to her and continued building on ideas she discovered at Brown.

That resilience makes Caleia’s story so meaningful. The SOUNDS Academy character values came to life as part of her daily routine and helped her find new ways to prepare for the future.

The SOUNDS Academy Fellowship gives students opportunities to explore their interests, pursue challenging experiences, and discover what they’re capable of. For Caleia, those opportunities opened doors to new ways of thinking—first at Brown University, and now through her college coursework at the Maricopa Community Colleges.

Maybe, before long, we’ll be reading a poem written about a song.

Today’s Musician. Tomorrow’s Creative Writer.