Mural Created by Youth in Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers Program Wins Award From Rockville Preservation Group

A mural created this past summer by ten adjudicated youth participating in an arts, job readiness and leadership development program offered by LAYC’s Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers (MMYC) was honored recently by Peerless Rockville, a community-based organization that works to preserve buildings, objects and information important to Rockville’s heritage.

The mural, “Youth Ascending the Staircase,” hangs in the atrium of the Montgomery County Judicial Center and depicts youth striving for success as they overcome challenges ascending the stairway of life.

At an awards ceremony May 14th at the Montgomery County Council hearing room in Rockville, MMYC’s Managing Director Luisa Montero accepted Peerless Rockville’s 2007 Preservation Award on behalf of MMYC, the youth artists who created the mural, and the organizations who collaborated with MMYC on the program, including the Montgomery County Department of Juvenile Services; Montgomery County Collaboration for Children, Youth and Families; Choice Program of the Shriver Center, UMBA; the Institute for Family Center Services; and Class Acts Arts.

Ms. Montero said, “This award is an important recognition of the beautiful work these young men did. Working with Joey Tomassoni, a wonderful, caring professional artist, and guided by our case manager, Janelle Cauthen, these young men created something powerful and lasting that, for years to come, will inspire people of all ages and backgrounds who walk through the doors of the Montgomery County Judicial Center.”

Peerless Rockville described the mural this way: “Painted in shades of red, violet, and blue, the mural hangs in an alcove facing the Judicial Center’s escalator stairwell and is perfectly scaled to its architectural setting. Illuminated by skylights, it provides an inspiring and colorful counterpoint to the cool gray tones of the interior walls…It is an exemplary collaboration between the visual arts and youth in our community and an outstanding complement to a well-used civic space.”

Last summer, as part of the program organized by MMYC, the ten youth participants designed, planned, sketched, painted and installed the mural. Working with Ms Cauthen and Mr. Tomassoni, the young people gained important job-readiness skills, including time management, teamwork and conflict resolution, and also built their self-confidence and self-esteem.