It's not news that teens like to express themselves. Well, sure, we all like to express ourselves, but it is our teenage years when we become peculiarly aware of our own voices. I spent the majority of that decade giving myself finger callouses from writing in my journal so furiously; from time to time I was allowed on the family computer to peck at the keyboard and attempt a story or two.
Salt Lake City's teens have access to far greater resources than we had in the Clark family. In a downtown studio, they come together once a week to record their stories, verses, beats, and songs. All for free, thanks to SpyHop, a Salt Lake City arts organization that's committed to empowering youth through multimedia.
From the NPR report:
The Open Mic program is held each Friday afternoon and on this day the place is crammed with kids who've come in to work on songs. Some arrive in groups, others alone. Some pull out dog-eared notepads and work on lyrics. ... SpyHop gets it's name from something whales and dolphins do. A spyhop is that lurch they make out of the water for a second or two to get their bearings and figure out where they're going. And it's a fitting name for an organization dedicated to helping kids find their way.
Thanks to Amy H. for the tip!
Comments