Homer Alaska - Letters

Last spring Maddie Bowen gifted friends and family with a piano recital for her 16th birthday party, held in the gallery at Homer Council on the Arts. The experience was so satisfying that she came to me the next day wanting to help organize a program that will allow young musicians to perform in the gallery one Sunday afternoon each month.

"We are too young to perform in bars, but there are many of us that want to perform," Maddie said.

Her initiative and desire catalyzed a process that is now supported by a grant from the Association of Alaska State School Boards and the Alaska Initiative for Community Engagement. This grant supports projects that encourage youth and adults to work together to build healthy relationships in a healthy environment creating "concrete, common sense, positive experiences and qualities essential to raising successful young people."

Starting in September, a group of students (ages 13-18) coordinated by John Bushell and Maddie Bowen, will begin an eight-month journey together with adult mentors to develop performance skills as musicians. Each student will perform in the HCOA Gallery as well as in the community. They will be guided, supported and critiqued by a group of adult mentors and peers, learning how to receive and give constructive feedback. Each student will join the peer/adult support group for the performance and feedback sessions of their peers. Applications to join this journey are due Sept. 10 and can be downloaded from the HCOA web site or picked up at the office.

Homer Council on the Arts thanks the Alaska Association of School Boards and the Alaska Initiative for Community Engagement for their support, allowing us to assist in the development of our youth through music. For more information, visit www.homerart.org.

Gail Edgerly, executive director

Homer Council on the Arts