CircEsteem is proud of its high school graduates who have all shown that with determination and a belief in oneself, anything is possible. CircEsteem works hard to help graduates follow their dreams with job opportunities, college scholarships and the knowledge that they always have a safe place and a circus family to come back to.
Cornell joined CircEsteem the summer of 2003 in search of excitement. In 2005, Cornell started to train on the Gym Wheel. Preparing for the World Championships Cornell practiced every morning before school. In 2007, after two years of training, he competed in Austria at the World Championships in Wheel Gymnastics. There he placed 7th all [...]
Donald Keme was born and spent most of his life In Togo. He moved to Chicago in 2001. Donald is one of the first generation of CircEsteem students to graduate from high school. He is now attending Harriet Truman College as a pre-pharmacy major and plans to attend Conservatory of Recording Art and Science in Arizona. Donald [...]
Emmanuel was born in Ghana and raised in Italy. He came to the United States in 2002 and joined CircEsteem in 2004. He has performed in over 300 shows and taught in over 200 workshops. He loves to leave joy in people’s hearts and smiles on their faces. Emmanuel juggles, tumbles, spins plates, balances on [...]
Jake is a Chicago native who joined CircEsteem in 2004. He joined the circus out of a love for juggling, but stayed to develop skills in areas such as trampoline and clowning. Since joining the troupe Jake has attended the AYCO festival, gone on tour, and performed in St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and all over Chicago. He especially appreciates CircEsteem’s [...]
Rackim joined CircEsteem in 2005. His favorite circus skills are lyra, contortion and tight wire. He also loves to dance. In 2009, Rackim participated in Joffrey Ballet’s Summer Intensive Dance program and recently completed a 9-month Professional Track Training Program at the New England Center for Circus Arts in Brattleboro, Vermont. Rackim has traveled and [...]
Samuel joined CircEsteem in 2005 as refugee from Ethiopia. His favorite circus skills are juggling, walking on the globe, unicycling, tumbling, and the gym wheel. In May of 2009 he traveled to Switzerland to compete in the Gym Wheel World Championship where he represented Ethiopia. As a graduate of CircEsteem, he coaches gym wheel, mini [...]
Shitonia, or Toni, joined CircEsteem in 2002. She enjoys performing trapeze and clowning around. Toni has traveled with CircEsteem within the U.S. and around Germany. Outside of CircEsteem, Toni enjoys dancing and school. Toni plans to go to college and pursue her dream of becoming a lawyer. Toni believes education and respect is the key [...]
Teresa Clement, joined CircEsteem in the winter of 2002. In 2006 she started to work as a CircusTeen, teaching younger kids the circus skills she has acquired in the past years. She started to performing in 2003 and traveled to Germany, San Francisco, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and many more. Teresa is currently studying at Lake [...]
In 2002, a year after Viviane’s arrival to the United State from Egypt she joined CircEsteem. In the seven years she spent with CircEsteem, she was a student, a teacher, a performer, and Summer Camp Director. CircEsteem played an important role in shaping her to be the person she is today, and continues to do [...]