A picture may be worth a 1,000 words the viewer but for Youth in Focus students, photography presents a new lens for experiencing the world and exploring their creativity.
Since its founding in 1994, more than 1,400 students have taken classes from the nonprofit dedicated to engaging disadvantaged youth in a creative outlet. Before the summer quarter classes begin in June, Youth in Focus highlights the work of the winter quarter students with two Winter End-of-Quarter Exhibits-one for beginning and intermediate black and white and beginning digital, the other for advanced digital and black and white.
It was the first exposure Ankober Yewondwossen, 11th grade student at The Center School and Youth in Focus winter quarter graduate, had to black and white photography but she feels hooked-to photography and Youth in Focus.
"I learned a lot visually, technically, but beyond the principals I learned a lot about community and how significant it can be," Yewondwossen said. "It's cool because we're all producing something, and I learned a lot about what I find significant in every day life and also what's important to different people."
With classes for teens ages 13-19, and the intention of serving youth facing difficult changes like poverty or substance abuse, Youth in Focus aims to offer a positive and supportive community. More than 80 percent of the programs students are youth of color and most students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
The community aspect, according to Yewondwossen, sets this program apart.
"It's a unique program. It impacts people. You learn about people's lives," Yewondwossen said, "and the people who want to be there like learning. It's a golden program."
Even though students learn the same skills, every student's visual interpretation represents their "creative flare," which can especially be seen in the advanced classes exhibit that shared the common them, intensity.
Though Yewondwossen's class didn't have a set theme, she enjoyed playing with contrast and photographing railroad tracks, chipped paint and trees in the sky. Her main focus was interpreting the well-known notice in side view mirrors "Warning! Objects may be closer than they appear."
"I am always really impressed with the different interpretations they come up with," said Kat Vellos, Youth in Focus program director. "The personal perspective each student can take on a different thing is really fun and exciting for me to see."
Vellos discovered her passion for photography at 15, and since then has been working with youth to teach the art and encourage creative self-expression and exploration. Unlike other art forms like drawing or painting, photography is not only a flexible medium but a fairly immediate and tangible one too, which Vellos said can be very gratifying.
But like Yewondwossen said, the classes do more than teach photography techniques.
"They're learning a new art form yes, there is that, but our program really strives to provide students," Vellos said, "with a creative and collaborative community of young people, as well as caring supportive adults."
In addition to learning from professional photographers in a class sizes that maxes out at 10 students, each class also has a mentor. Vellos said nearly three quarters of beginner students move on to the next level, which is exactly what Yewondwossen plans to do.
Before summer quarter starts in June, Yewondwossen's and her fellow beginning students' artwork can bee seen at the Youth in Focus Gallery, 2100 24th Ave. S., until May 28.[[In-content Ad]]
