Weekly Arts Mentoring Classes form the core of the work that we do with the youth that enroll in our programs. By working directly in the schools in after-school prgrams, we reach out to kids, in their communities, right where they are. Classes meet weekly or bi-weekly, right in the schools where we work.

By establishing positive mentoring relationships with talented, dedicated teaching artists, our youth can begin to see options for their own lives that they might not have recognized before, and through active engagement, and opportunities for recognition, our kids can begin to see themselves in new ways.

Partticipation in the arts can provide a powerful tool to:

• engage youth and spark their curiosity and commitment
• enhance thinking and problem solving skills
• set high standards of quality, success, and achievement
• provide opportunities to make tangible contributions to the group and the community and be recognized for those contributions
• promote constructive peer and mentor relations through teamwork, decision-making, and critique sessions
• create a working environment featuring clear roles and responsibilities
• and allow risk-taking in a safe and supportive environment

Weekly Arts Mentoring Classes