April 5, 2023 by Elijah N’dolo (’24)
As president of the acclaimed Choraliers and vice president of the drama club, Maddie Cook is an indispensable member of the music and theater program at Saratoga Springs High School. But Cook’s influence is not limited simply to the musical domain: she is also a co-founder, active member, and CFO of the nonprofit organization Stories for Success. Her diligent service and commitment make Maddie a crucial leader in SSHS’s musical program and a model citizen of the community.
Cook, a native of Saratoga Springs, was first introduced to the world of music at six years old, falling in love with dancing, singing, and acting through a musical summer camp in which she took part. Since then, Cook has participated in virtually every musical offered by the various schools she has attended. She explained that she started by playing minor roles but gradually progressed towards more significant roles. “I think a great part of growing up,” Cook reflected, “is learning how to be in the ensemble and learning how to be a team player, which is a skill I still use.”
Cook also took up the trumpet in fifth grade, and by the time she reached high school, she switched to playing the French horn in the symphonic band. “Band has been my favorite class in all the schools I have been to,” Cook said, reflecting on the impact music has had on her. Outside of class, Cook played Tanya in SSHS’s 2023 production of Mamma Mia! and is currently working with the drama club on Pride and Prejudice, which they will perform on May 5th and 6th of this year. She also is president of Choraliers, an auditioned choral ensemble that participates in various performances throughout the Northeast. “Being in a group with other people who also enjoy singing and who want to perform is so amazing,” Cook said. She was accepted into the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where she plans to study music business and management.
In addition to her music commitment, Cook began her work with nonprofit organizations in middle school when she and a group of other students raised money to buy backpacks and school supplies for impoverished children through the Franklin Community Center. “We knew we wanted to do something similar the following summer,” Cook said, “but we wanted something more long-term. We met with our elementary school principal [Barbara Messier] who is now retired, and she gave us the idea for promoting literacy in the community and making sure parents know that it’s important to read to your kids.”
The organization they created, Stories for Success, provides every newborn at Saratoga Hospital with a bag filled with various reading-related goodies, including two books and library card information. For several years, Cook and her friends raised money, and in 2021 Stories for Success began to donate to Saratoga Hospital. In the two following years, Stories for Success supplied 2520 books to the Saratoga Community Center in 1260 Stories for Success bags. Cook explained that one of her proudest moments with Stories for Success was when they became a legal nonprofit.
“The legal paperwork is very confusing, so being recognized by New York State and being able to receive grants was a huge achievement.” One of Cook’s favorite parts of participating in this nonprofit initiative is being able to work with her best friends in their mission to further education in children. “We created it just the five of us, and now we’re recruiting some underclassmen to continue it as we go off to college,” she said. Even after they pass Stories for Success on to the younger generation, Cook’s work in community giving will continue. She plans to pursue a career in management in the music industry after her studies at Berklee and intends to continue working for nonprofit organizations.