THRIVE AFTER SCHOOL
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Creative
Leadership
Youth Program
Thrive Inc’s after-school Creative Leadership Youth Program trains area high school and community college students in art, design, entrepreneurship, and life skills and works with them to improve their community through public art and outdoor recreation projects in Phillips County, Arkansas. Participating students learn job transferable skills, gain access to paid internships, discover creative industry career paths, and develop a lasting sense of civic responsibility.
Make your community proud...and fun!
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Make your community proud...and fun! •
Objective 1
Provide 7th-12th graders and community college students with study and experiential learning of leadership, creative careers, and entrepreneurship opportunities.
Objective 2
Support participating junior, senior and community college students interested in pursuing creative careers and job opportunities.
Objective 3
Teach students about civic responsibility and leadership by completing projects that enhance quality of life and reduce blight in Phillips County, Arkansas.
WHAt we do
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Design Skill Workshops
We teach week-long workshops covering art and design subjects such as graphic design, web design, photography and even land art! To instill leadership qualities within our students we get outside and create public art to beautify our community such as murals. Since 2019 we've painted 25 murals, blazed two hiking trails, and spent countless hours making our community a better place to live! -
Qualified Juniors and Seniors have access to our annual all-expense paid trip to explore a regional city harnessing creative placemaking strategies such as parks, public art, and community space.
If you would like to provide a scholarship so that we can take more students with us please contact info@thrivecenter.org
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After one year of volunteering within the program, paid internships become available to juniors and seniors. Jobs range from designing a flyer for a local church to painting a mural!
2026-27 workshops
4pm-6pm each day for one week
2026-27 Mini workshops
4pm-6pm on every other Wednesday
26-27 Workshop Calendar
Sept. 26
Leadership, Helena-West Helena Community Fair!
Oct. 26-30
Public Art/Leadership, Mural at the Sebastian Gas Station
Nov. 9-13
Public Art, Banks of the Mississippi River with John Ruskey
9/13, Paddle the Mississippi River with the Lower Miss. River Foundation!
Dec. 7-11
Exhibit Design, Making the Thrive Christmas Float!
Jan. 18
MLK DAY, National Day of Service, Clean-up / Public Color-Inspired Event
Feb. 15-19
Graphic Design Fundamentals, Designing new interpretive signs for the Helena River Park
March, TBD
Mural
April, TBD
Thrive Annual Design Trip
June, TBD
Design Camp in Helena hosted by UofA graduate students
26-27 Mini Workshop Calendar
Oct. 7
Painting & Open Studio
Oct. 21
Financial Literacy/Pumkin Decorating
Chance to enter Phillips County Public Library Pumpkin Decorating Contest
Nov. 4
Trail Cleanup & Hay Ride
Nov. 18
Bike Trail Ride, Limited Spots Available
Dec. 2
Workplace Readiness w/ Gear Up
Dec. 16
Winter Game Night
Feb. 10
Career Insight Panel w/ Gear Up
Feb.24
Painting & Open Studio
Mar. 10
Poetry & Spoken Word w/ Gear Up
Mar. 31
Sports Watch Party
Apr. 14
College 101 w/ Gear Up
Apr. 28
Painting & Open Studio
May. 12
Trail Cleanup
May. 26
Bike Trail Ride, Limited Spots Available
Our space
The Thrive Center is a 6,000 sq ft workshop and office located at 415 Ohio street in Historic Downtown Helena, Arkansas. The space is staffed by knowledgeable industry professionals and is equipped with a wood shop, paint shop, computer lab with graphic design software, audio/visual equipment, VR/AR equipment and a 3-D printer. These resources are used in all of our creative placemaking efforts and are available to participating students including a Macbook laptop and DSLR camera checkout system.