Area Youth Were Magnificent at Youth Arts Festival

Budding artists and musicians took center stage last Saturday at the fourth annual Youth Arts Festival at George Washington Middle School in Alexandria.

The Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority led the effort to ensure that Alexandria’s children were able to experience the arts.  They joined forces with the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities, the Arts Office of Alexandria, the Alexandria City Public Schools, the Campagna Center, and the Northern Virginia Urban League to bring together an amazing afternoon of arts on display, interactive arts booths and a wide variety of performances.

 The interactive part of the festival was astounding.  Children could travel to each booth and participate in painting, crafts, sculpture building with giant “Legos”, have their faces painted or participate in a drumming workshop, just to name a few. The options and variety were truly amazing. Kaleidoscope-for-kids displayed larger than life puppets that periodically paraded around the hall accompanied by the beat of the children involved in the drumming workshops.

Artwork ranged from paper mache to landscapes, to amazing still-life’s which covered the walls of the George Washington Middle School gymnasium showcasing visual art work from students at Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities; Campagna Center; Alexandria City Public Schools; Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority and Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center

“When you make art, you get to show your feelings,” said one of the young artists. Art and music are ways that we can help our youth express themselves in so many different aspects and the festival showcased the talented and creative abilities of hundreds of our local students.

In addition to the visual art displays, visitors were also treated to musical performances that included: Nuclear Ice Age Rock Band, 3 Strikes Rap Group, Zion and Frankie Vocal and Guitar Duet, The Choir FAME-ADOS, TC Williams Percussion Ensemble, Ruby Tucker Dancers,  Charles Houston Saxophonist-Courtland Chavis, Sidney Darko-Larbi, Purple Swag Dancers, Natasha Whern ,Patrick Henry Dancers, Delaney Moore, Afficials Dance Team, Hawa Gbaya . Four Short of A Dozen Rock Band/Del Ray Arts, Tatyana Keen, The Watchmen Rock Band/Del Ray Arts, Abena OseiOyamfi, Pain Killer Rock Band, Nanaama Osei, Quintango  and The Gods of Rock Band

The Youth Arts Festival allowed all students to shine; events like this really do build a sense of community. Thank you to the Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority, the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities, the Arts Office of Alexandria and, the Alexandria City Public Schools, the Campagna Center, and the Northern Virginia Urban League for sponsoring this amazing event!

(For more information about MVCCT and summer camp opportunities, please visit our web site at http://mvcct.org/camps.php )