Faith’s love of music began at a young age. Inspired by her father, a full-time musician, she started learning to sing, play piano, and play drums before third grade. It was around that time that she also picked up the violin, an instrument that would soon become a central part of her life.
Not long after, Faith began practicing every day. By middle school, she was dedicating two hours each day to honing her craft. When the pandemic began, she expanded her studies to include jazz violin and started taking remote lessons with renowned violinist and composer Leah Zeger while continuing her classical training with Frieda Yang, who earned both her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Violin Performance from The Juilliard School.
Under Ms. Yang’s guidance, Faith significantly improved her technique and successfully auditioned for the Folsom Lake College Youth Chamber Orchestra. At the same time, she joined the Sojourner Truth Heritage Museum TALA Jazz Ensemble and the Folsom Lake College Chamber Choir.
It was through her involvement with Folsom Lake College’s music program that Faith discovered dual enrollment opportunities. During her junior year, she enrolled in Visions University Prep Academy, seeking a more supportive learning environment after experiencing hostility at her previous high school.
Visions ended up being an amazingly supportive school that allowed me to thrive even more than I was before the bullying. It wasn’t only a way out of a hostile school, it was a step up for my education.”
“Visions had a huge impact on my musical journey,” Faith shared. After her first semester at Visions, Faith returned to perform at the Teagarden Jazz Festival with the TALA Jazz Ensemble. Her growth as a musician was evident. She earned a scholarship to attend jazz camp, despite violin not being listed among the traditional instruments eligible for consideration.
The recognition was especially meaningful because it reflected her ability to compete alongside musicians playing more traditional jazz instruments.
The experience boosted her confidence and opened new doors. She attended jazz camp as the only violinist in her cohort and soon auditioned for The New Traditionalists traditional jazz combo, becoming the first violinist ever accepted into the group.
Later, after earning a spot at the UCLA Global Jazz Summer Intensive, Faith connected with faculty member Regina Carter, widely regarded as the world’s leading jazz violinist. She has since continued studying under Carter’s mentorship.
One of Faith’s favorite aspects of being a Visions student was the flexibility to personalize her schedule, combined with the support she received from teachers and staff. “Having both allowed me to take advantage of a lot more opportunities since I had more time,” she explained.
Throughout high school, Faith worked closely with her teacher to balance academics with her growing musical career. She expressed special gratitude for her teacher, saying, “Mrs. Nunez-Babb has been amazing, very supportive, and understanding.”
She also worked closely with her counselor, Julie Winalski, who helped guide her through dual enrollment and the college application process. Faith applied to 29 universities, and Mrs. Winalski supported her every step of the way.
“She put me on her schedule so we could meet biweekly just in case her schedule filled up. She was a tremendous help in keeping me organized and helping me feel less stressed during application season.”
When she first enrolled at Visions, Faith joined several student clubs to make friends and ease the transition to online learning. Among her favorites were Newspaper Club, Screenwriting Club, Fun Fridays Club, and California Scholarship Federation (CSF), where she ultimately served as the 12th-grade representative.
“These clubs really helped me find friends and community at Visions. They all helped with my transition into online school.”
Beyond clubs, Faith participated in many student events, including bowling outings, dances, LifeWorks activities, and ice skating trips. The most memorable experience was attending her first Visions dance, the Winter Dance during her junior year. It was there that she met the friends who would become some of her closest companions.
“I was surprised with how well it was put together compared to my old high school,” she said. “After that dance, I felt like I had made some quality friends that made me feel not alone in my new school.”
Outside of music, Faith enjoys exploring other creative outlets. She loves painting, recently learned how to sew through a directed project course, and has begun experimenting with filmmaking after taking an introductory digital filmmaking class.
After two years at Visions, Faith proudly crossed the stage at the June 2026 graduation ceremony. Before receiving her diploma, she had the opportunity to share her musical talents with fellow graduates, teachers, staff, and families.
“I feel very proud to be graduating from Visions. I wanted to give back in the way that I know, which is music.”
For her performance, Faith chose “Ribs” by Lorde, performing the song using her violin, voice, and loop pedal. She selected the piece because of its themes of growing up and its connection to many of her classmates’ childhoods. The performance was the largest solo show of her music career to date.
This fall, Faith will begin the next chapter of her journey at UCLA, where she will major in Global Jazz Studies with an emphasis on violin. Her goal is to help introduce more young musicians who play non-traditional jazz instruments to opportunities within the genre.
“I want to expose the jazz pathway to more non-traditional instrument players at a young age so they know this pathway is for them too, not just the common instruments like trumpet and saxophone.”
Alongside her musical aspirations, Faith hopes to attend medical school and become a pediatrician.
When asked what advice she would give students considering Visions, her answer was simple:
“Take the chance of joining Visions. There is something for everybody, and it is one of the most supportive communities I have been in.”
