Bad Country, good food, inspiring art, and more importantly over 225 people gathered to support the Kent Bellows Mentoring Program and made Wishbone 2015 a great success. The Kent Bellows Mentoring Program empowers high school students to explore their artistic talents through a mentoring relationship with professional artists. The program, which impacts around 178 students a year, advances teens’ skills, build their personalities, helps them find their aspirations in life. With a total of 8,340 mentoring hours a year, students not only explore their talents and strengthen their technique, but they also report better school performance, higher motivation to graduate high school, and pursue their dreams further. To sum it up, this program gives teens the access to professional artists, art supplies, exhibition space, and real creative community founded on sharing ideas, working together, and building talent in the arts.
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Here’s what our guests experienced on Friday evening of March 27:
“I walked in to Joslyn throug
h the grand staircase and was greeted by students of the Kent Bellows Mentoring Program. As I proceeded through to the beautiful Storz Fountain Court at the Museum, the music of Bad County lifted my spirits and put me in the mood to celebrate this amazing program. It was amazing to see the art created by the alums of the Kent Bellows Mentoring Program and have conversations with students about their inspiration. 
I was captivated by the teens using drip painting techniques on large canvases; while thinking how easy they make it look to make art, one of the students even invited me to join them! I participated in the photo booth, taking a photo of me with a wishbone tattoo. No, not the real one, but the one that doesn’t come off for a week (as I learned 5 days later). The highlight of the evening was listening to Otis XII as he introduced Event Chairs Lisa and Rob Johnson who then shared their belief in the Kent Bellows Mentoring Program and what it meant to their son George. In addition to hearing Weston Thomson, the Program Manager, present Pamela Hinson with a Mentor Achievement Award – I was captivated by the inspiring video, that truly showed the impact of the program.” —Wishbone 2015 attendee
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Wishbone raised $50,000 that will be used for field trips, art supplies, mentor support, and student development. Thanks to those who came and gave. Many thanks for our event sponsors: Phyllis Bellows, Charles and Julie Burt, James and Robin Griess, Carl and Teri Gumbiner, Steven Martin and Amy Haddad, Claudia Martin.
Agne Dizona
Foundation Giving and Major Donor Manager