Te-Che’ Minors saw Up With People on stage and was immediately hooked. The performances, the backstage work and the organisation’s community spirit were all hugely appealing to the 17-year-old.

In a matter of weeks she had signed up and been accepted into the group. She’s now looking for $27,000 to join them in September as they tour the world.

“Before they came to CedarBridge [Academy, in April] I didn’t really know what they were about, but I was curious,” she said. “I offered to spend my free period helping them set up.

“I saw how everything was coming together. I saw them start to practice and, being immersed in it, thought this is something I really want to do.”

Knowing how passionate she is about the theatre, her teachers allowed her to work from home for the week. For the past three years Te-Che’ has worked as a student technician at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts, learning basic lighting and music production skills.

She also loves singing, playing the piano, songwriting and acting. She played Grace Farrell, the secretary to billionaire Oliver Warbucks, in CedarBridge’s production of Annie last year.

“I hadn’t acted before and it was a bit out of my comfort zone,” she said.

“It took a while to get used to it but as we practised more and more it started to be extremely fun working with the cast and everyone and learning the songs. From my standpoint, seeing everything come together was really amazing.”

Music has always been part of her family. Her parents, Theresa and David Minors, formed artist management company Playlist Management in 2009.

“I wanted to join [Up With People] because it seemed like it would be fun and exciting to me,” said Te-Che’, who admitted she was nervous about being away from home for a year.

“It was just natural for me to want to pursue this opportunity. It’s such a long time but really my only challenge is raising the funds.” The teenager is planning to go to Savannah College of Art and Design in the US when she finishes with Up With People. She wants to become a music producer and theatre technician.

In the meantime, she is looking forward to visiting new places.

“I have met a bunch of people from Sweden and it sounds like a peaceful, beautiful place,” she said.

Up With People requires performers to do 200 hours of community service while they travel.

Te-Che’ is well acquainted with volunteer work. In February she travelled to Haiti to help Feed My Lambs, the orphanage started by Bermudian Phillip Rego.

“I learnt to appreciate what I have,” she said. “I did music with the children. We would sing and dance when we had free time. I taught them a song and they taught me a song.

“It broadened the music spectrum a bit more for me.”