🇺🇸 · AS220 Labs · David Dvorchak
In the non-profit world, it can be easy to focus on tracking statistics and numbers. Numbers provide an easily-digestable way to try to share an organization’s impact – the positive effects that our work has on the community – and to prove that we’re a cause worth investing in. One non-profit consultancy website lists no less than 25 different metrics that an organization should be tracking: number of people served, percentage of budget spent on programs, email open rate, board engagement, etc. It was with this ‘numbers mindset’ that I began to approach writing about AS220’s Summer Jobs program, which recently wrapped up. During 6 weeks in July and August, for 20 hours a week, over 60 youth from Providence (there are those numbers!) were at AS220 receiving paid work-readiness and creative entrepreneurship training from professional teaching artists. Every conceivable space at AS220 was activated with youth who were making music, screenprinting, sewing, DJ’ing, painting a mural, doing hair, nails, and makeup, and more. As I talked to instructors about how the program went, I expected them to share hard, quantifiable statistics: the youth wrote this many songs, designed and printed this many t-shirts, took this many photos, and so on. Instead, what the instructors actually shared were meaningful outcomes like confidence , fearlessness , achievement , pride , and growth . These intangibles are not easily counted or measured but are seen and felt by instructors after spending time mentoring youth. To be clear, numbers are important to us. We spend a lot of time tracking them, we’re proud of the story that they can tell, and we think they make for some compelling reasons to donate to AS220 . Still, former AS220 Grants Manager and longtime friend, Mike Ahern, says “We know that simple numeric data doesn’t tell the full story of the impact of our programming.” With that in mind, we’re excited to share photos and testimonials from the instructors from AS220 Summer Jobs 2026. Jaheim works on the new mural, August 2026 Jaheim, Kendel, Edger, Jaz, and Phoenix plot the new mural, July 2026 “This whole experience showed me that it doesn’t matter how large of a project you give the youth, even projects that seem impossible – like making a mural in 6 weeks. They will always show you that they can rise to the occasion.” - Phoenix, Media Crew Instructor Jaydon makes letterpress prints while Kash and Sin Seven watch, July 2026 Jyshoun, Renee, Jaydon, Kash, Melody, Heaven, Carlos, and Marley work the sewing machines, July 2026 "They learned confidence. Not only confidence in themselves, but confidence in their work. They have the ability to do these things. They were able to achieve something, and they can do it again." - Sin Seven, Apparel & Printmaking Instructor Jaz shows off her hair designs, August 2026 Elizabeth shows Davina, Laura, and Yara the art of nail decoration, July 2026 "A lot of the girls were very soft-spoken at the start, but they're very outgoing now. Their personalities shined through as soon as we got to the exercises on skill building, team building, and putting the hair studio together." - Laila, Hair Studio Instructor Carlos keeps the beat going on the electronic drum set, August 2026 Keyira, Rodney, andDenzel practice on the wheels of steel while DJ Franchise supervises, July 2026 Slick shows Trent how to make beats, July 2026 "I was surprised by the amount of information that students were able to learn and apply to their own art in just a few weeks. What I hope they take away from the program is to be fearless with their art and not second guess themselves." Slick, Music Instructor Hasier, On-esty, and Zakai navigate a DAW to make their music, August 2026 "Students had an interest in learning other realms of music. They were interested, rather than afraid. I want them to understand that you sometimes have to get a little uncomfortable to achieve some goals. If somebody wants to try something new and they're a little nervous, they should go for it." - Jay Lew, Music Instructor