Out-of-school time can be ripe with positive opportunities for middle school children and the pre-teen population. The key is creating settings and options that are attractive to them and help sustain their participation in ways that promote healthy development. With the diversity of programs and opportunities, our Boys & Girls Clubs provide a powerful setting for providing learning and creative opportunities that support future successes for the children of our communities. Music is a way that young adults connect with their friends, reflect upon the world, engage in healthy activities, or to relax. Pre and teen-aged years often are a time when a young person is discovering who they are, while establishing where they belong – and music is a great outlet in helping this population define their identities. However, there is more than just listening to music. Music helps the mind grow and develop, and there have been a myriad of studies linking music programs to the improvement of communication skills and academic success. Though many of our pre-teens enjoy listening to and sharing music – few really understand the process it takes to create and produce music.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County and Studio 6, through a recent partnership, will help children learn how to write, record, and mix their own music in the safe and fun atmosphere of the Valparaiso Unit. Studio 6 is a new values-based program created to educate and empower youth in their development of musical creation skills. Through generous funding from Porter County Community Foundation, United Way of Porter County Power of Youth Program, and Mayor Jon Costas, the Valparaiso Unit has transformed current program space into a new and high-tech music studio.
The digital music program will offer Club members six weeks of professional music computer recording, training, and teaching for only $35 per participant (current Club membership required). Beginning November 6 through December 18, 2014, Club participants will meet twice per week, every Tuesday and Thursday, from 3:30 to 5:00 PM to create and record music. Through the program, children will learn to use current software to create digital music with the support of professional instructors. Registration for the program begins October 27, 2014 at the Valparaiso Unite located at 354 W. Jefferson Street in Valparaiso.
For more information, contact Valparaiso Unit’s Program Director, Tommy John, at (219) 462-2182, Extension 233 or via email at tjohn@bgcpoco.org or Matt of Studio 6 at matt@studio-6.org.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County:
For more than forty years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County (bgcpoco.org) has enabled young people to achieve GREAT futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Four Club sites and nine Kidstop locations throughout Porter County serves nearly 5,000 young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County provides a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. When school is out, our Clubs are in! Learn more about membership, volunteer opportunities, or how to make a tax deductible donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County by contacting your local Club at (219) 464-7282, or by visiting bgcpoco.org, facebook.com/bgcpoco, and twitter.com/bgcpoco. Great Futures Start HERE.