DOWAGIAC — When Jessica Robison, of Dowagiac, saw the Young Americans perform in fifth grade, she knew she wanted to become one of them.

Now, Robison is a freshman in The Young Americans College of the Performing Arts and living in Corona, California, located more than 2,000 miles away from Dowagiac.

The Young Americans will be visiting Dowagiac Middle School on Oct. 13, 14 and 15 to host its Performing Arts Workshop. Student participants in grades three through 12 will be separated into groups based on grade to rehearse and produce a performance in three days. More than 40 diverse and international cast members will work with students to reveal qualities as performers and as people.

Robison recalled how seeing the Young Americans at a young age encouraged her to pursue the necessary steps to become one.

“I knew I wanted to give kids that same feeling of confidence through performing, by helping them step out of their comfort zone,” she said.

Through middle school and high school, Robison used the performing arts as an outlet. She experienced bullying in elementary and middle school and found performing as a way to let go of the negativity, she said.

Robison said she felt free when in the choir classroom, on the stage of the theater or performing during halftime shows on the football field.

With the goal of becoming a Young American, Robison got involved in the choir ensemble and was a drum major of the marching band.

“Those were stepping stones that I knew would build up my future of becoming a Young American,” Robison said.

Her junior year of high school, Robison completed an in-person audition during the last Young American’s visit to Dowagiac. She made it to the second round where she was asked a variety of questions including, “Why do you want to be a Young American?”

The answer for Robison was easy. She had been wanting to help students push past their insecurities since the fifth grade, she said.

As a freshman, Robison is not yet eligible to travel to schools and is instead working on a new children’s show scheduled for Nov. 23 at a local California high school.

Robison said The Young Americans is not the average college experience. She is in classes from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. She also has rehearsals over the weekends.

Robison said her transition is made easier by her peers, as she is surrounded by like-minded people with similar goals.

“It’s completely positive energy. The friends that I’ve made here are lifelong friends,” she said. “You’ve never met more energetic and positive people. There’s no other way to describe them but amazing.”

Although Robison said she misses her family in Dowagiac, she is excited about her future at the two-year performing arts college.

“It’s hard being away from home, but this is worth it,” she said. “I know I’m going to be able to make a difference in the world.”