Reaching Children in Rural Communities through the Arts

In today’s digital age, enriching outlets for children after school extends far beyond video games and social media. They are vital opportunities for youth to develop essential skills and tools that prepare them for real-world success.

Creative Kids, a grantee of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, is a nationally recognized creative youth development nonprofit organization dedicated to serving children across the borderland. This impactful organization reaches kids battling cancer, supports families affected by the August 3 tragedy, and provides enriching after-school programs for youth.

Funded by the Health Foundation’s Healthy Kids Initiative, Project ABLE (Art Brokers Learning Experience) offers out-of-school programs utilizing various art forms—such as visual arts, photography, digital media, and printmaking—to engage children aged five to eighteen. This initiative ensures that children have meaningful activities to participate in after school hours.

“The communities we serve are very rural,” says Andrea Gates-Ingle, Co-founder and Executive Director of Creative Kids. “Outside of school hours, there’s nothing else for these kids, especially since many cannot travel the 30 miles to El Paso due to a lack of public transportation. Our program is crucial because it provides cultural enrichment and a safe space when there’s nowhere else for them to go.”

The program has expanded from San Elizario to southern New Mexico using this model.

“We’re targeting kids who need a safe, enriching environment,” Gates-Ingle explains. “Our goal is to help develop them into well-rounded individuals by equipping them with leadership and life skills.”

With support from the Health Foundation, Creative Kids has also developed a platform called LEAD (Leadership, Education, and Art Development). This online resource houses the program’s curriculum and methodology, allowing users to log in and receive training on the model. The Mott Foundation plans to license these curriculum models for dissemination across the United States, aiming to reach 350,000 youth and 35,000 out-of-school time providers.

“This is a significant tipping point for us,” Gates-Ingle emphasizes. “The Health Foundation’s investment in our mission validates our work and amplifies our impact throughout the region.”

To learn more about Creative Kids, Project ABLE, and the ways the Paso del Norte Health Foundation Invests in the Health of the Paso del Norte region, visit pdnhf.org