Yesterday, I had my second visit to the THEARC (The Town Hall Education Arts & Recreation Campus), which is the new home of the Washington Middle School for Girls (WMSG) one of our Grantee Partners.
Anne Mosle, our fearless leader, and Barb Strom Thompson, who Co-Chairs the Rainmakers’ Giving Circle, also participated in the visit to meet with some of the WMSG students. Visiting with the WMSG students was pure pleasure. They are bright, articulate, engaged, and very honest. Most of them come from difficult family circumstances, but you would never know it by their spirit for learning and the goals that they have set for themselves. Yet, when looking at the neighbor that surrounds THEARC, you’re reminded that the girls are very much “at-risk.”
During the visit, a group of girls treated us to an a cappella rendition of their current favorite song they called “I Don’t Want to be a Murderer.” The passion with which the girls sang the song was the same passion that any young girl in any part of our region would sing a popular song. But, why where they singing a song about murder? Well to my surprise, the name of the song really is Unfaithful and it is a song about a conflicted young woman. I’m still not thrilled about the song’s message, however I am so glad that that WMSG allows the young girls to sing ‘their’ songs with passion while providing a creative learning space.
I wish that I had time to visit WMSG and THEARC everyday. It is a perfect reflection of what happens when vision, philanthropy, and political will sync up. I’m looking forward to THEARC 2.0 emerge in our region.
