A camera in their hands, with the right guidance and encouragement, can give kids a new lens on life. start to disconnect from the people around them, from their environments and ultimately from themselves,” Shell said. While the children in the programs do receive a camera and get to learn some handy photography skills to produce incredible photos, they don’t realize that life lessons are taking place. Each kid is paired with a dedicated photographer that mentors and works with them to teach creative thinking, problem solving, resilience and to be an example of a healthy relationship. “We teach very basic photography and nothing specifically technical,” Shell said. “I don’t want the kids to get distracted by the technicalities. It’s more about getting them to see things in a new way with a new perspective.” Over the course of the program that the child is in, a transformation starts to occur and confidence starts to shine through. “We get them out of their current environment and show them something new. The camera works as their safety net,” Shell said. “Soon they build trust with their mentor and really start to reconnect with themselves.” To add to the children’s newfound confidence, each spring Kids in Focus hosts their exhibit opening night gala. At this free community event, the kids proudly show off their artwork on display to the hundreds of attendees who come to see it. 40 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | SEPTEMBER 2019

Professional photographers mentor underprivileged youth to create breathtaking images such as these.