The Boch Center's Summer Arts Employment Program To Return To Empower Boston-Area Youth

The Boch Center, one of the nation's leading nonprofit performing arts institutions, announced the launch of this summer's award-winning City Spotlights Teen Leadership Program. During the paid six-week youth employment program, Boston teens will develop leadership skills using the performing arts. These creative young adults represent eleven Boston neighborhoods and 21 different Boston-area schools. Since 2012, the program has employed over 400 teen leaders.

This year's City Spotlights Summer Leadership Program participants have selected the theme: human rights (racism, sexism, ableism, adultism, LGBTQ+ rights). This summer, the teen leaders are discussing and advocating for human rights. They will be creating performances and workshops addressing threats to basic human rights like racism, sexism, ableism, adultism, environmental justice, and LGBTQ+ rights. In their call to action to combat these issues, the teen leaders will be advocating to strengthen our democracy, increase transparency from government officials, reform our immigration system, and address wealth inequality within our communities so that the basic rights of every single person are respected.

“Each year the teens surprise me in new ways,” said Corey Evans, Vice President & Senior Director of Education at Boch Center. “ This year's group quickly embraced the goal of making their neighborhoods and their city better, to really work for change, not just talk about it, by creating original artistic pieces about social change with the ultimate goal of strengthening the world around them.  I am inspired by the fact that these young people are our future leaders,  they give me immense hope for the future.”

City Spotlights is a unique youth employment program that empowers local teens to become leaders in school, at home and in their communities by using their creative voices. Core components of the paid six-week program include leadership training, community advocacy, and job readiness, each of which helps teens develop skills necessary to navigate the rapidly changing 21st century. Program highlights included an advocacy day at the Massachusetts State House last week, a flash mob tour across Boston taking place today, a series of community workshops taking place from July 31 through August 6, and an original artistic showcase on the Shubert Theatre stage on July 14.

Today, Wednesday, July 24th, teens will be hitting the streets of Boston on their Flash Mob tour. For media interested in seeing the Flash Mob today, please join at the following scheduled sites:

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM:  In Front of Wagamama in Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall

2:00 – 2:30 PM: Leventhal Park/P.O. Square Park

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Boston Common, Public Garden

Please note that Teen Leaders will also be performing their Flash Mob throughout the day at other spots across Boston in between the above scheduled stops.