It was a subtle, yet relevant, theme that weaved its way through an
Aug. 1 Pilot story on the Orange County Performing Arts Center's
Summer at the Center program.
The 38 troubled teens taking part in the program weren't taking
things for granted, even though they easily could have.
Children who have seen the inside of jail cells or had drug
problems found themselves singing, dancing, and rehearsing for five
hours a day for two weeks. The goal: performing on the center's stage
in front of an audience.
Teens with problems, yes. But the center's program proves that
these young people are not hardened to compassion.
"Some kids say the biggest thing they're surprised by is the
kindness here," the center's Educational Programs Manager Jason
Holland said.
Hopefully, these kinds of programs will continue. Who knows where
these children will end up? But with efforts such as the center's,
perhaps there's hope that all of their lives will be on a happier,
healthier stage.
