Impact Community
Help Us Welcome 11 New Fuego Youth Leaders For Summer 2021
Cathy Niland | 06.09.2021
We can’t wait for our youth summer programming to kick off, and are especially looking forward to the return of our Fuego Youth Leadership Program. For twelve years, high schoolers have participated in this special program, expanding their department-specific industrial art skills under the guidance of a mentor while also supporting Youth Summer Camp instructors in the classroom.
Last summer, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we had to cut back our Fuego Youth Leadership program, only hosting five returning Fuego students for a shortened, two-week program. However, this year, we are thrilled to be re-expanding the program with eleven first-year Fuego Youth Leaders who will join us for four weeks starting Monday, June 28. A number of these students in the 2021 Fuego cohort applied for the program last year, but we were unable to accommodate them due to COVID-19 restrictions.
2021 Fuego Youth Leader in TIG Welding, Tobias Classen, posses with his welded sculpture during 2020 Youth Summer Camps.
This year we have leaders participating in eight departments, including Ceramics, Woodworking, Bike Shop, and more. We can’t wait to see what our 2021 Fuego Youth Leaders learn and make, and how they flourish as leaders in our Youth Summer Camp classrooms.
On Saturday, our 2021 Fuegos gathered for orientation to get better acquainted. And now you can meet our 2021 Fuego cohort as well! Stay tuned for updates on their work and creative practice throughout the summer.
Tobias Classen, age 16
Fuego Youth Leader in TIG Welding
School: Urban School of San Francisco
Q: Why are you excited about the Fuego Youth Leadership Program?
A: I’ve been at The Crucible since I was eight, but I didn’t know about the Fuego program until I started lost wax casting. There was a Fuego Leader there who taught me the techniques and encouraged me to branch out. I thought it might be fun to try to teach someone else.
ShaRay Edwards, age 15
Fuego youth Leader in Glass Flameworking
School: McClymonds High School
Q: What does art mean to you?
A: Culture. Where I used to live there was not a whole bunch of culture. But yesterday, we walked around this area, seeing a whole bunch of art and all of the murals that everyone has been working on. That gave us a lot of new experiences.
Isaiah Gonzales, age 15
Fuego Youth Leader in Bike Shop
School: Agape Christian Academy
Q: Why are you excited about the Fuego Youth Leadership Program?
A: It’s a great opportunity to become a better leader and to do these classes. They’re really fun and I love to learn new things.
Sera Gonzales, age 17
Fuego Youth Leader in Woodworking
School: Agape Christian Academy
Q: What does art mean to you?
A: It’s a way to express myself and it’s a big part of my life. Art is something that really helps me relax and calm down. It makes me happy.
Chris Gonzales-Ordonez, age 17
Fuego Youth Leader in Blacksmithing
School: Making Waves
Q: Why are you excited about the Fuego Youth Leadership Program?
A: I’m excited about this program because I get to make things with my hands and also teach people at the same time. I think it will teach me to be more confident in myself.
Ashala Jones, age 18
Fuego Youth Leader in Ceramics
School: McClymonds High School
Q: Why are you excited about the Fuego Youth Leadership Program?
A: I’m excited because I love being creative. And I love using my imagination and bringing it to life. The Crucible is the place where I can actually physically make my imagination come to life.
Evie Moussa, age 16
Fuego Youth Leader in Jewelry
School: Design Tech High School
Q: Why are you excited about the Fuego Youth Leadership Program?
A: I love working with my hands and creating cool art—jewelry, woodshop, collage. I was so excited to hear that The Crucible has this program that exactly fits what I was looking for. I’m hoping this will give me an opportunity to learn and grow, and also teach kids which is another passion of mine.
Jasmine Quinones, age 17
Fuego Youth Leader in Jewelry
School: Berkeley High School
Q: Do you consider yourself an artist and how do you express yourself?
A: Yes. I recently got into activism with my art. I made a stamp that said “Chicana Power” and stamped that all over. I enjoy incorporating my culture into what I’m making.
Angel Torres, age 16
Fuego Youth Leader in Bike Shop
School: Nea
Q: Have you worked a lot with bikes?
A: Yes, I did the Earn-A-Bike program. I’ve been working on my cousins’ bikes and trying to teach them stuff that I learned. I’ve worked on a lot of different people’s bikes.
Khaled Saeed, age 14
Fuego Youth Leader in ARC Welding
School: McClymonds High School
Q: Why are you excited about the Fuego Youth Leadership Program?
A: I think is a really good opportunity to practice my leadership skills and get some experience for the future.
Edgar Salazar, age 17
Fuego Youth Leader in ARC Welding
School: Oakland High School
Q: What does art mean to you?
A: I think it could mean anything to anyone. You look at art from different perspectives. It’s all about what you see.
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