Youth Programs

Spontaneous Celebrations places great value on the role of youth in our community and is now serving young people through two youth programs: Festival Arts and Beantown Society. Two members of our high school program Beantown Society sit on our board of directors in order to ensure that youth voice is included at every level of decision-making in the organization.  In addition to the programs we run, additional programs for youth are run out of our center such as La Piñata, Music FUNdamentals with Junk Percussion, and Kids Karate. Below is a description of each of these programs. Click here to see a photo gallery of previous youth workshops sponsored by Spontaneous Celebrations.

Beantown Society
Schedule: Tuesday, Thursday 2-7pm
Contact:  Seth Kirshenbaum, Director
Phone: (617)-524-6373
In the summer of 2004, the youth of Spontaneous were charged with the task of choosing an issue in their community and designing a Project of Change that would address this issue. The teens chose to focus on youth violence, and the lack of programming for teens in their community. In response, they created their own youth program at Spontaneous Celebrations called Beantown Society.

The vision of Beantown Society is to unite youth in Boston across race, class, culture, and neighborhood to end youth violence. We believe in changing youth's oppression, neglect-ion, rejection, and depression into youth power. We work towards this vision by offering a youth run after school program as well as workshops, projects and events based on youth interests. We provide a space for youth to express themselves, receive one-on-one support, and become leaders in their community.

Festival Arts After School Program
Schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1:30-5:30pm
Contact:  Claudia Martinez, Youth Programs Coordinator
Phone: (617) 524-6373
The mission of the Festival Arts Program is to engage middle school-aged young people as active members of their community by empowering them as artists, performers, and as agents of change. The young people of the Festival Arts program are actively involved in the creation of four annual community festivals. In addition to the arts, the Festival Arts program places a strong emphasis on academics and wellness.

La Piñata
Schedule: Saturdays 12-4pm
Contact:  Rosalba Solbis
Phone:  617-522-6430
La Piñata is a folkloric performance group that has been meeting every Saturday afternoon at our center since our doors opened. This Latin American Family Cultural Network involves young people ages 7-17 in learning songs, dances, and traditions from Latin American cultures. During school vacations, they work with our teens to form a Brazilian Samba Band, which performs annually at First Night and our major festivals.
 
Music FUNdamentals with Junk Percussion
Schedule: Saturdays, 9:30-10:30 am (Toddlers, children & parents) Monday, 6-8pm (Middle School performance group, students accepted by audition)
Contact: Cornell 
Phone: (617) 524-6373
At Spontaneous Celebrations, music is a part of everything we do. For young people who are interested in learning drumming, there are many opportunities! Cornell Coley offers percussion classes and workshops both at our community center, and at other community centers in Jamaica Plain & Roxbury. Youth who attend these classes will have a chance to join our Youth Performing Group, which performs both at our own festivals, and around the city at different venues and events. These classes are open to young people of all ages.
 

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