I've always dreamed of doing this sort of thing. LEAP brings the arts not only to a target age range but also to girls who might not otherwise have access to the arts. The program is free of charge to the teens, as Forselius and her board of directors work diligently to secure enough grants, donations, and corporate sponsors to keep it running. Fund raising is hard, Forselius says, but it, like AIR, breeds its own enthusiasm. Girls who have participated in the past write to me and say they don't want it to end.
Somebody has to do the work.
The program continues because there's an absolute interest in it and an absolute need for it. Forselius says involvement in the arts gives girls a incentive to think about their future college or otherwise and infiltrates their daily lives with security and happiness. Backstage at The Music Hall before the culmination of their week's work, the new young performers buzz with uncontrollable energy. They wind up as the minutes till curtain count down. LEAP is targeted at girls between the ages of 13 and 17 because, Forselius says, that's a crucial time in their development when finding a means of expression is important.