Puerto Rican Youth from Despair to Hope

At PECES Inc. Alternative High School the arts have been key in the process of transforming the lives of students.  We have witnessed how our students lives transform as they have demonstrated dedication, effort and commitment to the arts.  These are youth from very low income families who haved lived through two hurricanes (Maria and Fiona), earthquakes, a pandemic, and all the post traumatic stress brought about by these events. Most experience violence in their communities and many times in their own families. PECES offers them a process of transformation and personal development along with an education that empowers them to overcome the challenges that they face.

As the youth grow and develop we are proud to see how they have overcome challenges and achieved significant academic goals. Recognizing that our students are the heart and soul of our educational institution, spaces are created to develop the transformation of our participants through the arts. Each one of them has a unique and valuable potential and it is our duty as educators and members of the school community to provide them with the tools and support necessary so that they can achieve their maximum academic and personal development.

The school has placed a high priority on the integration of the arts to promote personal development.  These  arts activities have been important in transforming the lives of young people including the exhibition of photographs, drawings and paintings where 76 students exhibited their artistic works. One special activity allowed students to develop their talents in areas such as  photography, drawing and painting.  Another focus area was  integrating the arts by developing the Bomba y Plena workshop, where 12 students participated and the importance of our culture, traditions and roots were highlighted. The development of the Dance Club led the school to participate in the Humacao Has Talent Competition of the Municipality of Humacao where they represented our school in the area of singing and dancing. This was an experience full of opportunities for our students who performed before a larger audience and on a stage where other schools in the municipality had their participation. The participants of the Dance Club, Reaction Dancers, received recognition for their participation in the Talent Show, Humacao Has Talent. They were given a certificate of recognition highlighting their commitment, discipline and performance; 14 students participated. 

The arts create hope in the over 200 youth that our alternative high school educates each year.   The youth bloom, their leadership skills develop, and they begin to believe in their own capacity to achieve their dreams and goals.