Thursday's Thoughts

Self Help Graphics & Art Seeks Students for Summer Programs
http://egpnews.com/?p=11569

SOY Artista students pictured here are Anabel De La Garza, Paula Esparza, Lidia Lopez, Adrian Ulloa, and Jacob Soto. Photo courtesy Self Help Graphics & Art

Responding to the Los Angeles Unified School District’s cancellation of summer school, the organization scrambled to revive its Summer of Youth Artist Program, (“S.O.Y. Artista”) for high school students, but the kids are not coming.

“We though they’d be knocking down the door,” Executive Director Evonne Gallardo told EGP. “It was a last minute response to what was happening in the community.”

The free program has capacity for 30 students but as of July 17, only four students had joined. The four-week program, from Tuesday to Friday, began July 14 and runs until August 7. The target age is 14 to 17-year-olds.

This week, students learned to make relief prints using the medium of linocut. Next week the students will make kites using their new skills.

On “Wild Card Fridays,” the students will have a surprise workshop relating to the “Hard in Da Paint” hip-hop class. For more information on the S.O.Y. Artista programs and other events visit www.selfhelpgraphics.com or call (323) 881-6444. Self Help Graphics & Arts is located at 3802 Cesar E. Chavez Avenue in Boyle Heights.