Noelle Timberlake began performing at the age of 7 with Y-Arts here in Boothbay Harbor, traveling with the group to Atlanta and the iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival – and has never stopped. She's been singing, dancing and acting in musical theater productions with the Boothbay Playhouse, Heartwood Regional Theater Company in Newcastle and Lincoln County Community Theater (LCCT) in Damariscotta. As a student at Lincoln Academy, Noelle sings with the LA Chorus and is a member of the drama group.

Noelle, 17, has been accepted to attend Interlochen Arts Camp, the world’s premier summer arts program for aspiring artists grades 3 through 12. Noelle, the daughter of Sandy Timberlake-Tibbetts and Tyler Tibbetts, will study music theater at Interlochen's Center for the Arts Musical Theatre Production. At this six week camp she will receive private voice, dance and acting lessons, and perform in the musical “Catch Me If You Can.”

The Michigan-based camp considers thousands of applicants from more than 50 countries each year. Noelle was accepted based on video auditions that included excerpts from a musical theater repertoire, a discussion of her interest in musical theater followed by a monologue, and a video sample of dance.

The talented Southport resident was awarded $1,000 in scholarships, but must raise $6,000. Mom Sandy has set up a GoFundME account to that end: https://www.gofundme.com/mkq7mv8k.

“This experience will greatly enhance Noelle’s college applications, as she hopes to study musical theatre,” said Sandy.  ”Our entire family would be so grateful for any help!

Writes Noelle on the account page, “As you can imagine, this amazing opportunity comes with expenses. While I was fortunate enough to receive merit scholarships, I am still in need of $6,000 to pay for the rest of my tuition, my travel to and from Interlochen, and the camp uniform.  My family and I are now trying to raise as much of that money as possible.  I know there are a lot of deserving families in need of assistance right now, but a donation of any size will help. If you are not in a position to give money, I would love if you could share this post. Anything can help! Thank you so much!”

Interlochen Arts Camp attracts students, faculty, and staff from all 50 U.S. states and more than 40 countries — 2,500 artists fill Interlochen’s campus. Student-artists learn from world-class instructors and produce hundreds of presentations each summer in dance, theatre, creative writing, visual arts, music and film.

Camp alumni include Norah Jones, Josh Groban, members of the band OK Go, Rufus Wainwright, opera and concert soprano Jessye Norman, conductor Loren Maazel, jazz pianist Eldar, actor Anthony Rapp, and cartoonist Cathy Guisewite.

Interlochen brings leading artists and performers to the campus, including Joshua Bell, Josh Groban, the Decemberists, the Avett Brothers, Olga Kern, Harry Connick Jr., Trace Adkins, Branford Marsalis, and many more.

Interlochen Arts Camp is part of the nonprofit Interlochen Center for the Arts, recipient of the National Medal of Arts. For information, visit Interlochen online at www.interlochen.org.