Last night I was blown away by the performances of several teens in Insides Out, presented by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. I can’t think of a better way to spend $5 on a Friday night. The production is a result of the Teen Arts Puentes Project. The description of the program, available on the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center website, is:

The Teen Arts Puentes Project uses the arts to nurture the growth of adolescents in a positive environment where they can build individual talents, develop social awareness, and attain critical life skills. Tuition: Full scholarship provided for all students accepted.

Boy did these young men and women deliver. Their performance covered everything from isolation and drugs, to sexuality and education. The emotion their performances portrayed was remarkable. Each of these individuals deserves a round of applause, and it’s always good to see young people put their time and energy into something productive. Their program director Vincent Toro is very enthusiastic, approachable, and his love of art and making positive impacts is made apparent in his demeanor and the performance that took place. GCAC has several other productions coming up, and I definitely plan to attend. If you’d like more information about GCAC, their programs, or how to get involved visit their website and support their events. They are a wonderful group of people.