Programs We Support | Believe in Me
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We are very proud of the programs we currently support.

They align with our mission and are forever changing the lives of kids in the community.

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Get to Know the Awesome
Programs & Charities We Support

Girl Scouts of Eastern Washington and North Idaho

Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. Girs Scouts offers the experience to children in Title 1 schools, low-income rural communities, and community centers the opportunity to participate in Girl Scouts for free. The organization is focused on community and sisterhood, appreciating everyone’s unique value, celebrating their differences, and supporting one another through obstacles and conflict.

 

Girls Scout teaches girls about how best to develop and maintain healthy relationships. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. 

See Girl Scouts in Action

Camp Fire Inland Northwest

Camp Fire creates powerful youth experiences that change lives for the better, and these experiences are outlined in its program framework. Thrive{ology} is the primary method we use to achieve these experiences for Camp Fire youth. This approach enables youth to achieve their full potential through four components: Identifying sparks, growth mindset, goals, and reflections.

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Camp Fire's trained, caring adult leaders play a vital role in building developmental relationships critical to a thriving mindset. Youth need people in their lives who challenge growth, provide support, share power and expand possibilities. By providing this support and challenge, Camp Fire's leaders are foundational in building the youth's ability to thrive.

See Trive{ology} in Action

  • Schedule a tour of this program
  • Explore Camp Fire website​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County

The program Keystone originated as the organization adapted to meet the needs of youth during the covid pandemic. They had plans to open a new Club at that location before their capital campaign was put on hold. We pivoted and worked with the Central Valley school district to put their program in place for those youth who needed extra support with online learning. We continue working with Central Valley students in an after-school capacity.

See Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County in Action

Communities In Schools of Benton-Franklin

The mission of Communities In Schools is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. To this end, Communities In Schools of Benton-Franklin has 33 Site Coordinators serving students and families in 34 schools across five districts in our region. Their staff walks alongside youth daily to address the barriers they face both in and outside of school. Whether it's a lack of stable housing, an untreated mental health condition, the death or incarceration of a loved one, lack of family support related to sexuality or gender identity, the fear of deportation, a hungry belly, or multiple placements in the foster care system, or an unsafe home environment; our staff is there to listen and address the unique need(s) of every student we serve. Investing in intensive Motivational Interviewing training will undoubtedly produce improved engagement and goal outcomes for the students we serve.

See Communities In Schools of Benton-Franklin in Action

Southside Christian School

Southside Christian School enthusiastically provides a Christ-centered, loving environment for children to experience academic excellence and spiritual development. They hold to the belief that God is the source of all truth and that education is an exciting adventure.

See Southside Christian in Action

Transitions

The emphasis of all services at Transitions is to work to end poverty and homelessness for women and children in Spokane. No woman has ever been turned away due to gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnicity, or disability. The organization pursues this mission through the operation of Women’s Hearth, Transitional Living Center, EduCare, Miryam’s House, New Leaf Kitchen & Café, and Home Yard Cottages.

See Transitions in Action

  • Meet with the CEO to learn more
  • Explore Transitions website​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Spokane Angels

Spokane Angels' mission statement is to walk alongside children, youth, and families in the foster care community by offering consistent support through intentional giving, relationship building, and mentorship.

 

Believe in Me is supporting two programs: The Love Box program provides fostering families with community and holistic support. This support enables caregivers to continue to do the important and meaningful work of being foster parents. parents feel supported and children gain a greater sense of normalcy, relational permanency, and self-confidence. The second one is Dare To Dream, with the goal to walk alongside youth as they navigate through life's challenges like a new school, starting a career, following their dreams, and having the support to achieve them.

See Spokane Angels Programs in Action

Embrace Washington

In 2019, CASA estimated that at least 2/3 of children entering foster care have a sibling and more than 50% of siblings are separated. The emotional power of sibling relationships is critical in maintaining a child's psychological health and well-being. Because of limited bed space in foster homes, DCYF has resorted to housing children with supervision in hotels where no foster home placement is available for siblings, the average cost of a stay was $2100 per night in 2020.

 

The Sleep Safe Program provides beds and bed linens to foster families within a 72-hour window for children in their care. The Sleep Safe Program not creates a cost-effective, child-centered solution for DCYF, but also ensures siblings who enter foster care stay together. DCYF reports this program has effectively eliminated this issue by providing beds in a timely manner to foster families and kinship families who are taking placements in Region 1.

See Embrace WA in Action

College Success Foundation

The College Coaching Program helps youth from low socio-economic backgrounds complete college. They provide life skills coaching as well as community building, career exploration, and financial aid support through 1:1 and group meetings, workshops, webinars, online resources, and ongoing communications.

 

College Success Foundation uses a strengths-based, personalized approach that gets to the heart of the issues faced by individual students in 7 main areas: education, cultural identity, employment, housing, life skills, physical and mental health, and community connections.  Coaches work with students at nine colleges including the Community Colleges of Spokane, Eastern Washington University, Washington State University, Gonzaga, and Whitworth.

See College Success Foundation in Action

Family Promise of Spokane

Kids Crew is an enrichment program that helps mitigate the trauma FPS’s children face while experiencing homelessness and empowers them to develop into healthy, capable adults. Kids Crew serves youth ages 4-17 and provides group-based activities that prioritize cooperative learning, building friendships, and obtaining new social and emotional skills.

 

Kids Crew allows youth to connect with others who have shared life experiences in an environment that fosters personal and developmental growth. Moreover, Kids Crew allows parents to have uninterrupted time to utilize FPS’s wrap-around case management services, focus on their personal goals, and move toward permanent housing. 

See Family Promise of Spokane in Action

Meet The Alumni Programs We Have Supported In The Past

Partners With Families and Children

In this proposal Partners requested support to implement a No Hit Zone. A No Hit Zone is a designated safe environment where no hitting is allowed. No child will hit a child, no child will hit an adult, no adult will hit a child, and no adult will hit an adult. A No Hit Zone brings awareness to ending corporal punishment and presents opportunities to talk with caregivers about trauma informed and evidence based alternative discipline methods. This encourages the modeling of healthy, non-violent behaviors and expressions of emotions.

See Partners With Families and Children in Action

Spokane Youth Symphony

​The Spokane Junior Symphony was born on July 28, 1949, as a nonprofit organization formed to promote a junior symphony in Spokane. Since its humble beginnings, the Spokane Youth Symphony has grown to include four, and at times five, orchestral groups of graduated playing abilities, as well as several short-term string quartets and wind quintets. Through the years this youth symphony has been fortunate to share the spotlight with hundreds of exceptional musicians, actors and dancers featured as guest artists joining them on the stage.

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Believe in me is supporting them to get back to the regular four-concert series at the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox to cover the expenses involved in using the theater.

See Spokane Youth Symphony Programs in Action

The Jonah Project

The Jonah Project advocates for survivors of human trafficking and at-risk women and children through direct advocacy and education.  For them, it is vital to provide an environment that teaches them what FREEDOM looks like. Believe in Me is supporting the Freedom Railroad program and Amarillo Advocacy program, and marketing awareness projects.

 

The Freedom railroad programs allow to safely send clients of all ages to other geographical areas called HUBs for their healing and ensure that they receive continuity of care, trauma-based and transparent support. The second program, Amarillo Advocacy, will meet an immediate need such as food or clothing, or a longer-term need such as safe relationships, we are there for our survivors. Finally, we want to expand the knowledge of the Jonah Project and create awareness so marginalized youth know there are resources available to them.

See The Jonah Project in Action

College Success Foundation 

College Success Foundation coaches and supports students from low socioeconomic backgrounds to prepare for and graduate from college as transformational leaders in order to forge a just and equitable society. CSF measures student progress by increases in college awareness and knowledge; completion of financial aid, scholarship, and college applications; graduation from high school with plans to enroll in college and college enrollment.

See College Success Foundation in Action

  • Meet with the CEO to learn more
  • Explore College Success Foundation website​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Dishman Hills Conservancy

 The mission of the Dishman Hills Conservancy is to permanently protect the Dishman Hills while connecting people to nature through conservation, education, and recreation. DHC envisions a vibrant, continuous ecosystem from the Dishman Hills Natural Area. Youth who have limited opportunities will have the option to explore nature, observe, be creative, and get coached in outdoor activities.

See Dishman Hills Conservancy in Action

  • Meet with the CEO to learn more
  • Explore Dishman Hills Conservancy website​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

YWCA Spokane

YWCA Spokane is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, standing up for social justice, helping families, strengthening communities, and promoting peace, justice, dignity, and freedom for all. We empower women, families, and communities through a combination of prevention, education, outreach, and response work. Each year, the YWCA serves approximately 15,000 women, men, children, and families who are impacted by intimate partner domestic violence, homelessness, and unemployment through their free, trauma-informed, confidential programs and services.

See YWCA in Action

  • Meet with the CEO to learn more
  • Explore YWCA website​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane County

We believe students cannot meet their academic goals without developing strong social-emotional skills, having their physical and mental health needs met, and feeling safe in a culturally sensitive environment. The 21 Century Enrichment program provides a holistic approach to solving these problems by providing educational opportunities to families and after-school and summer programs for students at no cost.

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In addition, the College Coaching Program helps youth from low socioeconomic backgrounds complete college. They provide life skills coaching as well as community building, career exploration, and financial aid support through 1:1 and group meetings, workshops, webinars, online resources, and ongoing communications. We use a strengths-based, personalized approach that gets to the heart of the issues faced by individual students in 7 main areas: education, cultural identity, employment, housing, life skills, physical and mental health, and community connections. 

See Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane in Action

Communities In Schools of Spokane County

We believe that students can't meet their academic goals without developing strong social-emotional skills, having their physical and mental health needs met, and feeling safe in a culturally sensitive environment. We have identified 7 high-need schools in NE Spokane: Garry and Shaw Middle Schools, Lidgerwood, Logan, Bemiss, Whitman, and Stevens Elementary Schools, that are having difficulties engaging students.

 

Our partnership is providing a holistic approach to solving these problems by providing educational opportunities to families as well as after-school and summer programs for students at no cost. A recent survey conducted by the ZoNE, our partner in NE asked parents if their children had participated in after-school programs.

See Communities In Schools of Spokane County in Action

Junior Achievement of Washington

 JA Finance Park Virtual (JAFP) program will give underserved middle and high school students an experientially based financial literacy program and will contribute to developing multi-generational financially literate individuals & the economic vitality of communities.

Schools with the greatest need―those with a high percentage of marginalized students may face budgetary constraints that impact their ability to provide the per-student fee assessed to schools participating in JA FP. Funding will ensure that more young people develop the knowledge, skills, & mindset to become financially empowered adults.

See Junior Achievement of Washington in Action

First Judicial District CASA Program

CASA is the only organization that provides court-appointed advocates for children in child protective cases. Specifically, the First Judicial District CASA Program provides dedicated, highly trained, Court Appointed Special Advocates for child victims removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, and violence.

 

Advocates investigate and document the circumstances of child protective cases, represent the children’s best interests, serve as their voice in court, and ultimately help find them a safe and permanent home. In 2021, 120 Advocates served 335 children. This project will focus on Advocate retention to grow the local program and ensure every child appointed is served. As part of this, this project will provide monthly continuing education and ongoing Advocate appreciation events.

See First Judicial District CASA in Action

Lumen Public School

The Collaborative Problem Solving program at Lumen High School is more than just a program. It's a skill building, brain building approach that used restorative practices and what is know about the neurological functioning of the brain to create an environment where all staff and students can learn skills, heal their brains and grow both academically and professionally. The collaborative problem solving approach builds empathy in the midst of interpersonal ruptures and creates a culture of trust and belonging.

See Lumen Public School in Action

Melodic Caring Project

In the one-on-one Music Therapy program, patients receive focused individual attention. Their music therapist co-creates a customized music therapy plan with the rockSTARS, determining goals for the patient that can be supported with specific musical interventions. Suppose a rockSTAR’s goal involves getting in touch with their emotions and developing comfort in expressing them, for example. In that case, the therapeutic objective might be “This client will identify current emotion by verbally sharing or singing two times within the 45-minute session with moderate verbal prompting.”
 

The Group Music + Art Therapy sessions facilitate virtual therapeutic group activities that draw on children’s immense capacity for creativity, teamwork, and mutual support. These sessions are designed to reduce isolation and provide social interaction for youth in hospitals or home care dealing with physical pain or illness.

See Melodic Caring Project in Action

Odyssey Youth Movement

Odyssey Youth Movement promotes equity for LGBTQ+ youth in the Inland Northwest through youth-driven programs and community education. OYM believes in:

  • Dignity: All people have inherent worth.

  • Community: Human connectedness fosters a greater understanding of self, others, and the world around us.

  • Social Justice: Inland Northwest youth deserve equitable access to resources and opportunities.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Their Drop-In Programs have been the cornerstone of OYM's programming. These programs are facilitated by staff and volunteer mentors and include topics such as sexual health, LGBTQ+ history and culture, communication, advocacy, and more. 

See Odyssey Youth Movement in Action

Playworks Education

Playworks partners with schools with a wide variety of needs. Transform schools with a full-time Playworks coach, collaborate with an onsite Playworks recess expert to empower playground teams, or build capacity for positive play with Playworks professional development. The keep Playing is a digital service to help educators incorporate play into every day & provides weekly curated content to assist educators & families. This resource aids in the community’s efforts toward recovery and the school’s return to in-person instruction this year.

 

Keep Playing takes the guesswork out of incorporating play into learning whether that be in person, hybrid, or distance learning environments. Weekly, school staff & families receive clear, concise instructions for games and activities that can be utilized remotely or in the classroom. 

See Playworks in Action

Rainier Athletes

RA begins the journey with each student in 4th or 5th grade and continues weekly support through the student’s high school graduation. Students are fully sponsored year-round to participate in extracurriculars, paired with a mentor, and motivated to achieve through RA’s classroom engagement and self-advocacy model.

RA removes barriers that prevent equitable participation in extracurriculars by funding all costs (registration, uniforms, equipment, team pictures) and supporting with logistics like registration, translation, and transportation.

See Rainier Athletes in Action

Slingshot

At Slingshot, they exist to inspire and coach young people with purposeful direction for work and life. Their coaching framework helps them uncover the industries and job types they're passionate about, provides pathways to make meaningful industry connections, and builds a resiliency mindset for being their guide.

 

Funding from the Believe in Me Foundation will support the Slingshot IDEAS framework being embedded in four regional high schools' college/career readiness programs. Slingshot offers training and coaching for staff and students, supporting students' developing purpose and direction for work and life. Staff to deliver the program will be funded by LaunchNW.

See Slingshot in Action

Spokane Hoopfest

The Hooptown Youth League, LLC will be a major upgrade to Spokane area after-school basketball for grades K-6th. In partnership with 14 school districts, players will register as individuals with the choice of participating in either recreational, competitive, or advanced competitive divisions. Teams will then be formed based on selected division and their neighborhood school for the 22-23 school year.

 

The purpose of this is to help connect players within neighborhood relationships. The league's cost structure is developed to allow equitable access to anyone who wants to participate with a qualified discount and scholarship fee option. Throughout the season players will have opportunities to meet and learn from their local high school coaches and be provided weekly lessons to promote and increase their knowledge of the game of basketball creating opportunities to learn life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and mental toughness.

See Spokane Hoopfest in Action

The Isaac Foundation

ISAAC’s Clubhouse has three separate components that work together: 1) Clubhouse, a twice-a-week after-school program for grades 6-12. The Clubhouse provides a safe, supportive non-judgmental space for those with neuro-diversities and other special needs, to give them a feeling of community, as well as opportunities to learn, build self-esteem, and have fun. 2) Discovery Sat - A free monthly program that offers special needs children a place to join facilitators for themed activities that build relationships and foster a sense of inclusion. 3) Studio Events - Monthly events that allow community members and those with special needs to connect with one another and explore interests through fun activities, events, and workshops. This program provides opportunities to network with other families/community members - and allows disadvantaged kids to learn leadership skills, teamwork, spontaneity, and resilience.

See The Isaac Foundation in Action

Vanessa Behan

Vanessa Behan provides emergency care for children between the ages of birth and 12. Parents seek their help when they are overwhelmed or don’t have a safe alternative for their children so they can take care of critical needs. Children from these families are stressed by poverty, trauma, and unhealthy behavior patterns in their homes. Stress-response systems developed in stress learn unhealthy ways of processing and responding to life

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Without intervention, these children will struggle. The coping strategies they’ve developed will not produce healthy results as they grow. To make the most of their time with us, we must develop a culture that supports healthy social and emotional development. Conscious Discipline training (CD) will provide our staff with the tools needed to build resiliency and social-emotional skills in children. Staff will learn how to resolve conflict, create optimal learning environments, support self-regulation and help children build respectful relationships.

See Vanessa Behan in Action

Washington Youth Soccer Association

Washington Youth Soccer will work with community stakeholders - schools, community centers, and local youth-serving clubs, to operate after-school sport enrichment activities for youth between the ages of 6 and 12 years living within Spokane County. The programs will take place two times per week, for a total of 1.25 hours per day, for a term of 6 consecutive weeks. The Soccer for All program will serve a total of 60 kids per week at each site. Through these immersive experiences, participants will learn new sports skills in a fun, positive, and supportive environment. Children will be introduced to the game of soccer and will be taught basic fundamentals of the sport. Participants will also have the opportunity to engage with their peers and learn vital life skills which translate beyond the field and into the classrooms, homes, and communities where the children live and play. Built into the curriculum used at the program are core life skills to benefit youth development.

See Washington Youth Soccer Association in Action

The Bridge Music Project

Through this project, youth will develop as musicians, build life skills, and create a supportive community. The Bridge is giving two eight-week community songwriting workshops for marginalized youth in Olympia, WA, between the ages of 14 and 21. In each series, youth will participate in eight weekly two-hour workshops at the Capitol Theater in Downtown Olympia.


The first portion of each workshop will be dedicated to team-building activities, group lessons, artists, guest speakers, and performance rehearsals. The second portion of each session will be focused on writing collaborative songs in small breakout teams. After the sixth week of workshops, our youth will record their finished music with a professional audio engineer. The workshops will conclude with a high production value final public performance.

See The Bridge Music Project in Action

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