Vivian Russell, executive director of True North Youth Program, told the Forum the “Friday Hangouts” for teens have continued. Both Norwood and Nucla high schools operate on the four-day schedule with no classes held on Fridays. Supervised by True North’s West End coordinator Destiny Reed, the hangouts give students structure and activity every single week.
“We don’t skip weeks,” Russell said. “We are really giving them a place to go consistently.”
Russell is especially excited about the monthly art immersion, for which teens prepare food and also create art.
It was a year ago that Lulu Priddy, of Ah Haa School for the Arts, worked with Russell to brainstorm ways to bring more arts programming to the West End. Then, they set up an initial session in January of 2025. Students came together, prepared a meal and worked on art. It went so well, they agreed it was something they wanted to keep doing.
Next, the two organizations partnered for a collaborative grant to expand programming and go deeper with the offerings. Through Think 360 Arts for Learning, they received $18,000 to spend from July 2025 until June 2026.
“We’re super excited, and we’ve created a monthly curriculum,” Priddy said. “We’ve had sessions this fall, and it’s been really wonderful.”
The destination rotates; one month teens travel to Telluride to work inside the Ah Haa school; the next month they work inside Art at the Apothecary, of Nucla. Most recently, when True North Youth Program transported a group to the East End, they made Stromboli with a culinary instructor. Afterward, kids chose a small class: either jewellery making or a ceramics wheel-throwing class.
On Nov. 21, they’ll be in Nucla again.
As a result of the collaboration, Priddy has connected with art teachers in Norwood and Nucla.
“We’ve created a network from Telluride on down to the West End,” Priddy said.
Last week, all three art instructors attended the Colorado Art Education Association conference in Breckinridge. Priddy was certain something there would inspire the November session, likely something visual arts related. In addition to working as the youth-teen program director, Priddy is the manager of visual arts for Ah Haa too.
Priddy said the Friday collaborations have been a good thing. The sessions get kids together, provide a space to build community, and there’s always a meal provided.
“And it’s a great way to exercise our brains,” Priddy said.
Already, Priddy said Ah Haa and True North Youth Program will apply for the collaborative grant again. They want to sustain the program, and they’re hoping to expand the offerings. They want to cover any arts efforts in the West End in the future.
Ray Dahlstrom, True North’s Program Director, typically attends the events. He said the Friday art program’s success can be attributed to the partnership of both organizations.
“It’s effective in exposing them and giving them an experience to experiment with different art mediums,” he said.
Dahlstrom added it couldn’t happen without Lisa Ross, Nucla’s art teacher, and Destiny Reed. He said the stakeholders and partnership have created something that works very well.
There’s been a good response so far, but there is still room for others to join. All teens in Norwood and the West End are invited to participate.
