Courtesy of Kids in Focus
If you’ll be in Phoenix in late March and early April, be sure to visit a photography exhibition that supports a worthy cause.
Kids in Focus, a nonprofit organization founded by frequent Arizona Highways contributor Karen Shell, helps at-risk youths build self-esteem and awareness through photography. In January and February, 18 students ages 12 to 14 from Phoenix’s Children First Academy were mentored by 12 professional photographers and made photographs with digital point-and-shoot cameras collected through a camera drive. After the mentorships, the students wrote their image captions and personal biographies.
Through photography, the organization says, “the kids learn to see the world around them differently, changing their perspective about themselves and their environments.”
The result is a 44-print exhibit at Burton Barr Central Library, 1221 N. Central Avenue in Phoenix. At the March 19 opening reception, each of the students will receive a hardbound book as a keepsake of their accomplishments. The exhibit will be on public display from March 21 through April 14.
To learn more about Kids in Focus and the exhibition, visit the organization’s website. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the photographs created by these talented kids.
Love this! I am putting it on my calendar.
The photographs are amazing. The youth who took this photos have true talent.
I meant to type the youth who took “these” photos have true talent.