Madison Guy is a true renaissance woman who lights up a room and brings excellence to everything she does. She’s a boxer, runner, scholar, actor, and aspiring nurse with a love for science and history, but all roads lead back to her bass.
Madison has played bass for eight years. She plays both electric bass guitar and upright bass, and it provides her a sense of pride, a creative outlet, and a touchstone through life’s ups and downs.
Madison grew up in Memphis, Tennessee before moving to Central New York and attending Cicero North Syracuse High School, where she struggled with the culture shock that came with being the only African American girl in her class. Just as she finally began to make friends, Madison’s family moved again and she came to Corcoran. This was a difficult time in her life on multiple levels, and she recalls heavy spirits at home. But Madison was able to summon the quality she loves most about herself, her tenacity, to push forward.
The supportive climate Madison found at Corcoran also helped her through the transition. She recalls feeling immediately connected, safe, and welcomed at her new school, and she fell in love with that infectious Cougar spirit and sense of family.
Madison also found new musical opportunities, joining the Corcoran Jazz band, which earned a silver rating at the New Hartford Jazz Festival this year. “Playing bass has been one of the most consistent things in my life for the past eight years,” she said.
Madison has excelled academically, as a student in Corcoran’s prestigious International Baccalaureate Program, which allows students to earn up to 6 college credits per course and prepares them for the rigors of college-level work. Madison also represented Corcoran to win first place in the city-wide Poetry Out Loud competition, led by National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. She was a winner in the Empire State Star Search competition, and has volunteered in programs for urban youth, the VA, and nursing homes.
Teacher who has inspired you, and why: “Donna Delmonico is a teacher that has inspired me to follow my passions and pursue my dreams. She has always been there to support me in my success.”
What advice would you give to incoming freshmen? “I would say don’t worry, it will all be okay. As hard as it seems now, being here is going to be one of the best experiences of your life.”
What will be your generation’s mark on history? “I feel that my generation fights faithfully for what’s right. That will be our mark.”
Click here to read more We Are Syracuse – SCSD Class of 2019 profiles.
