TAMPA, Fla. — Along the banks of the Hillsborough River is a refuge of sorts. Community Stepping Stones is a place where kids are physically safe.
“We’ve had many instances where kids have come here because they knew it was a safe place — if they were being chased in the neighborhood or things of that nature,” Gary Gibbons, the Community Stepping Stones board chair, explained.
But just as important, the art center is a safe space for children to stretch their creative wings.
“It is teaching them that they can express themselves through the arts and through writing, through creativity. And they don’t have to be afraid to do that," Executive Director Georgia Vahue said.
Each weekday, the staff walks children from their Sulphur Springs school to the Community Stepping Stones center.
Maeisha Moore says for her two girls, it’s a step in the right direction.
“They teach them how to do art — they’re kind, respectful adults. I just love the art camp,” she said. “I really love the art camp!”
Moore’s daughter Harmony is proud of a birdhouse she created at the camp. It hangs right outside the Community Stepping Stones building.
“I get to learn to do new artwork and stuff like that and improve my skills,” she says.
For 20 years, Community Stepping Stones has served Sulphur Springs, one of Tampa’s poorest neighborhoods.
Vahue says it’s all about using art to grow well-rounded kids.
“I mean they can gain confidence, they learn to respect each other, but also very much important to respect themselves," she explains.
Before little fingers can start creating, excited minds have to calm down. A video meditation exercise starts the afternoon camp and after that, stomachs get some attention too. Campers eagerly grab bananas and granola bars out of a bowl. With many families experiencing food insecurity, snacks are essential.
And finally, it’s time to get to work. On this day, while campers get to make choices for a Valentine’s art project, the exercise also involves listening to instructions and following directions.
While colorful creations adorn the walls of the Community Stepping Stones Center, you can also find their artwork in the community. Thousands of people every year get to admire a large work at a Tampa cruise terminal. And talk about turning trash into treasure; the wall sculpture is made from all sorts of plastic, pieces of tire, even needles that the kids collected during a neighborhood cleanup.
Community Stepping Stones — kids learning, creating, exploring — there’s a lot to love!
10 Tampa Bay and our parent company TEGNA’s foundation are proud to support Community Stepping Stones with a $2,000 grant.