As the nonprofit Arts Conservatory for Teens (ACT) celebrates its annual Champions for ACT Breakfaston the St. Pete Pier Thursday, the organization marks its 10th anniversary. That’s a decade of improving the lives of teens by using the arts to prepare students for high school graduation, higher education, and the workforce.
The brainchild of Dr. Alex Harris and co-founded with Herbert Murph, Shelia Reilly and Derek Berset, ACT has impacted over 13,000 local teens since its inception. It attracts philanthropic and private support because the transdisciplinary curriculum works. With a 100% high school graduation and 90% college placement rates, ACT has found that sweet spot of motivation, support, skills training, and leadership training for some of our county’s most at-risk students.