TAMPA, Fla. — Inside this spring break camp classroom, there's no math. No science. No history.
"Are you ready for red ball?" Trisha Stever asked her students as they settled into her class.
Inside these classrooms, the teachers are focused all on the arts. The kids go from dancing to music to acting.
It's all part of a partnership between the Straz Center and Metropolitan Ministries, bringing their musical theater spring break camp with the theme "Love Conquers All" to the kids and teens who live at Metropolitan Ministries.
Ten-year-old Elijah Duncan just discovered a new passion for acting.
"The camp opened my eyes to it," he said.
Yet, when asked which aspect of the camp is the most enjoyable, there's no hesitation in his answer.
"The most fun would be in dancing."
"Not only do these kids get experience with moving their bodies, speaking lines that are given to them, or lines that they come up with themselves or acting, but they also get the confidence to try something new," she said.
What makes this spring break camp even more special is its accessibility—the program is completely free for the kids who reside at Metropolitan Ministries. For many of them, opportunities like these are often scarce due to budget constraints, making the chance to explore the world of theater even more sweet.
"Theater is my world, and so if I can share it with anyone, like we've all talked about this week, just being able to share our love for theater and give them that exposure and confidence is incredibly rewarding, especially in a community like this," said Stever.
By the end of the week, the kids will put on a show, showing off all that they've learned for their parents.
“We’re ready for our visitors.”
Spring break season is back across Tampa Bay, and businesses are relying on spring break now more than ever.
