Stephanie Arguera of UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School helped to coordinate a mural painting project at Isla Vista’s St. George Youth Center (SGYC); the mural had its ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, June 15. As a graduate student from the Department of Education, Arguera has been working with the Center for the past three years on a project that grew from a traditional maker space project into a community involvement project. All of this work is under the purview of a UC Links grant with Dr. Betsy Brenner and Dr. Richard Duran as co-PIs.
This was the 2nd mural Arguera coordinated at SGYC, this time with major support from UCSB’s Arts Department. This mural was included as part of a Faculty Outreach Grant, through which PI Dr. Kim Yasuda coordinated various visual and performance arts activities in the winter and spring at the St. George Youth Center. A larger part of this grant, and where the mural process was also on display, was the Spring Showcase—SGYC’s first ever talent show. This event included an art gallery room, as well as live music called Jeffery’s Jazz Night, hosted by Dr. Jeffery Stewart from the Department of Black Studies, with the purposes of displaying art and creativity of the IV community.
Two arts graduate students (Robert Huerta and Andrew Morrison) also donated their expertise and time to help approximately 30 IV pre-teens and teens to conceptualize and paint their space-themed mural. After holding six planning workshops, teens presented their final sketch to the IV Parks and Rec Department Board, receiving a unanimous vote of approval during the May Board meeting. Youth painted during their first week of summer vacation from June 11-14, culminating with the small ribbon-cutting ceremony and ice cream party.
“Having painted the first mural in Estero Park last summer, both the youth and center volunteers felt we had an opportunity to put the lessons we learned to use, not to mention the interest!” Arguera says. “It is clear that young people want to feel validated as learners and part of the larger community of academics that live around them, so there’s some optimism that this mural communicates not only their presence in the community, but also their curiosity. We are grateful to the IVPRD and UCSB Arts Department for their help in facilitating another impactful arts project within the IV community.”
St. George Youth Center has been serving Isla Vista and Goleta youth and families since 1998, providing a safe, fun, alternative space for teens during the high risk after-school hours.
The youth center is open to young people in grades 6 -12, and we support the strength and achievement of youth and their families through a variety of educational, recreational, cultural and leadership opportunities.