Music Programs with Youth in Juvenile Detention

Taught by Dr. Bethany Thompson, this initiative offers youth in residential juvenile justice facilities the opportunity to learn violin or cello, collaborate with professional musicians, and perform at prestigious venues like the Straz Center, Mahaffey Theater, and Florida Southern College. This isn't just musical education; it's a strategic investment in their future. Research indicates that including classical instrument experience on a resume is viewed favorably by employers, and this program equips these young people with these social status markers, offering competitive advantage in their educational and employment pursuits as they re-enter society.

With the majority of these young people set to rejoin our community within a year, their futures and the choices they make matter to all of us. By contributing, you are investing in the future of these young individuals, giving them a chance to reevaluate their potential, develop essential skills, and pursue a brighter future beyond the juvenile justice system.

Your generous donations will directly contribute to instrument purchases, instructor fees, performance opportunities, and other program essentials. Join us in making a difference through the power of music. Your investment today can shape tomorrow’ community!

Explore the program’s impact through press and publications:

1. An article in The Tampa Bay Times: https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2024/08/24/tampa-cello-instructor-teaches-at-risk-kids-more-than-just-music/

2. Published academic research discussing the benefits of integrating music into the lives of system-involved youth: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/19484992221094818?icid=int.sj-full-text.citing-articles.5

3. ABC Action News Tampa Bay coverage depicting how this unique program infuses hope into the lives of youth in detention: https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-hillsborough/tampa-teacher-brings-music-and-hope-to-troubled-teen-girls

4. An Atlantic Journal-Constitution article detailing the effects of the music program on detained young people: https://www.ajc.com/opinion/opinion-making-music-changing-lives/6IYVV4GAJNA25COQBOPLVZM77Q/

5. Sarasota Herald-Tribune op-ed: https://sarasotaheraldtribune-fl.newsmemory.com/?clip_article&token=4rXXxOHQ6srJpbTC3sbZ4NDRydPInZOmm5VweJGrkdjP2dHGycLWxujKzaS209vExJ6dzoSewqCRqJ3AoqHC0ZKXoMbmgdTVp5Cmlpdtd5Glj56im56E

6. The South Florida Sun Sentinel op-ed: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/02/27/how-the-cello-hacks-the-system-and-fights-racial-bias-opinion/?share=e2deiint2lytcssthme0

6. An video interview on the music program’s impact: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRIlOxLSn7A&list=TLGGe8IdQ6IKZ3syODA2MjAyMw&t=6s7

7. Recent Interview about the programs: https://vpa.uncg.edu/2023/08/16/making-music-to-connect-with-teens-in-custody/

Please check out my website for more details: https://www.bethanyuthompson.com/juvenile-justice-music-programs