Annual Photo Exhibit Event & Program Gives Students a New Perspective
On April 3, 2025, Arizona Heritage Center provided the perfect setting for the Kids in Focus annual “Photo Exhibit Opening” to display the most creative works from over 40 area youth participating in their nine-week photography and mentorship program.
Co-Chairs: Colleen Katz & Dana Schmidt
Big Picture Sponsors: Arizona Heritage Center | Agital
Entertainment: Jonathan Levingston
Catering: America’s Taco Shop & Creations by Sergio
Notable Moments: Guests were greeted on the Arizona Heritage Center steps by the musical stylings of Jonathan Levingston and his electric violin. Tables were adorned with the students’ art as well as upcycled camera lenses repurposed as vases filled with vibrant flowers. Food stations provided local culinary delights that guests enjoyed while they perused the student artwork. The annual hardbound books featuring the biographies of the students and their selected works from the exhibit were available for purchase, and the artists delighted in autographing the books while they interacted with attendees. Board members and mentors spoke to the tremendous impact the program has had in the lives of the youth they are empowering each and every week through the photography program. T-shirts, stickers, books and prints of the artwork as well as a lively raffle helped to raise funds to continue teach kids to see beyond their circumstances and find a new lens on life.
Photos courtesy of Dave Seibert, Ffion Thomas, Allie Amos & Penny Dolin
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