Interview with Nicole DelTorto

Nicole DelTorto (alumni 1999-2011) attended Kidstock! during her entire childhood before working as an adult in the art room with Olive for 2 summers. She graduated from Matignon High School and currently lives in Saugus, MA. She holds a Bachelors in Communications with a concentration in theater from Curry College. On the theater board of Curry College, she served as Publicity Director, Assistant General Manager, and General Manger. Currently, Nicole is the Assistant Director at Kindercare Learning Centers in Downtown Crossing where she is certified as a Child Development Associate (CDA) and is working towards being Director Certified in MA.  

What is your fondest Kidstock memory?
My favorite Kidstock! memory is honestly, everything. It was a massive part of my life and it truly made me who I am today. It gave me the courage to pursue theater in college, it gave me the confidence to show up, audition, and feel accepted regardless of who I was or where I came from. The friends I made at Kidstock! as a six year old are still my friends today and I will always be thankful for that. 

Did you do any other camps/programs in the area other than Kidstock?
Kidstock! was my one and only!

What do you currently do for work? If you aren't working, what are you currently doing in life? Are you a student?
Currently, I work for Kindercare Learning centers in Stoneham, Ma where I am a Program Specialist. (Editor's note: Since Nicole completed this interview, she became the Assistant Director at Kindercare's Downtown Crossing Location. Congratulations, Nicole!)

In what ways do you find that you have to be creative in order to be successful?
When working with children, I am forced to be creative every day. Whether it's enhancing curriculum or teaching my music and cooking class, I am always finding ways to create the best experience for the children.

Any skills you feel Kidstock! helped you get started with?
Kidstock! gave me the confidence I needed to go out into the real world and know that someone, somewhere, in some place would accept me for the quirky, creative and fun person that I am today. 

Any notable accomplishments that have happened since you've left Kidstock?
I won the “Actors Guild” award during the theater competition in high school. At Curry College, I won the spirit of Curry Theater Award during my senior year. I played Ms. Boyle in the Mousetrap as a freshmen. I played Adelaide in Guys and Dolls during my sophomore year and Senior year, I played Lucinda in Into The Woods. I was also involved in many student written black box productions.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Kidstock! was the best thing about my childhood, I will never forget all of the memories I had with friends and counselors. It truly made me who I am today. I still have every Kidstock songs stuck in my head on a daily basis. It sure was " an awesome place to be!"