Middle and High School (teen) Hangs

When we asked our students what they like best about our middle and high school hangs, one of them said this: “I just love the atmosphere. It’s like, ‘I’m weird, you’re weird, we’re all weird, let’s gather together in our weirdness and create more weirdness.”

We think that sums it up pretty well. Originally launched as Team Creative Directions in 2021, our middle and high school program offers a supportive environment where tweens and teens can feel free to be themselves, to pursue creative ideas, to challenge themselves, and to explore their identities.

At our middle and high school hangs, there is a lot of laughter and a real sense of community. Each one includes pizza and an arts-based activity, along with low-pressure opportunities for connecting with other kids. We develop these activities with both introverts and extroverts in mind, since we know that socializing can be a real challenge for many kids (and many adults, too). For some students, the Compass Arts hang has been a gateway to participating in other new activities. For others, it has been a bridge to successfully transitioning to a new school, discovering new interests, or expanding their friend groups.

We’ve also hosted game nights, karaoke, movie nights, and our own version of the Great British Bake-Off where students made, judged, and then ate delicious baked goods.

In 2023, thanks to funding from the City of Beacon, we were able to offer sliding-scale pricing for the Compass Arts Hang beginning at $0.

At CACP, we are working to create more opportunities and resources for underserved middle and high school students. Our aim is to develop mentoring relationships, provide job and leadership opportunities, and find ways to help teens give back to their community.