Sparks, youth and you

My life in high school revolved around the circus. Not the traveling, professional, three-ring type of circus that may come to mind. But rather Circus Juventas, a nonprofit youth performing arts program in St. Paul.

I would walk down to a large permanent “Big Top” structure every day after school. I trained with hundreds of other youth in circus arts like juggling, acrobatics, and trapeze. Between practices, I would lay on the thick floor mats doing my homework. Circus Juventas was my second home.

In the summers, my involvement with Circus Juventas only increased. I was a counselor for circus...