Local talent Alex Harris ignited the Tampa Bay Rays’ crowd with his rendition of the National Anthem at the Jackie Robinson Breaking Barriers game on Saturday.

The performance did not surprise those of us who know Harris’ incandescent singing. Only his kindness outshines his ability. And no one would blame Harris if he chose to leave Tampa Bay and pursue greater success in New York, Nashville or L.A.

Harris, however, chooses to build his career while serving as the founder and executive director of the Arts Conservatory for Teens. His heart for sharing his gifts beats louder than his longing for stardom, yet I know his music — he has a new deal with Sony and a single, Make It Better, on iTunes, YouTube and Spotify — deserves a larger audience.

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Arts Conservatory for Teens’ Co-Founder and CEO Alex Harris sits down with Tampa Bay Morning Blend’s Co-host Natalie Taylor to discuss the mission, what’s on the horizon for ACT and how arts education can be a powerful catalyst for change in the lives of the at-risk, underserved teens in our community.

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Arts Conservatory for Teens mission is to educate, empower and enrich the lives of youth and teens in the community. ACT believes in the power of arts education as a catalyst of change in the lives of the at-risk, underserved teens in our community.

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In this segment produced by students at St. Petersburg College in partnership with WEDU, the Arts Conservatory for Teens, or ACT, provides an outlet for local youth to discover and cultivate their creativity with the help of working artists in the Tampa Bay Community.

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On this episode of #SPx, Joe and Ashley sit down with professional musician, entrepreneur and founder of the Arts Conservatory for Teens, Alex Harris. Harris has been running the highly successful ACT program for four years, the program has grown to serve nine locations and 800 students this year alone. The program boasts a 100 percent graduation rate in 2009, with 90 percent of students moving on to college studies. Through ACT, Harris and co-founder Herbert Murphy are changing the lives of underprivileged students throughout Pinellas County, chasing out fear and teaching business acumen.

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On Wednesday, January 31st, the University of South Florida Saint Petersburg Student Government hosted a community panel discussion, moderated by ACT (Arts Conservatory for Teens) Co-Founder, Alex Harris.

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PETERSBURG — Arts Conservatory for Teens (ACT) invites First Night St. Pete attendees to participate in COLOR ST. PETE, the New Year’s Eve event’s first-ever, interactive public art installation.

Led by ACT, COLOR ST. PETE is a public art installation project that provides an opportunity for the community to join together to express their creativity using a platform that extends beyond racism, separatism, classism and religious divides. All those who love the City of St. Petersburg–individuals, families, civic leaders, business owners, educators, are invited to express their thoughts, resolutions and hopes through the art of painting.

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Through arts instruction and a fostered sense of community, the Arts Conservatory for Teens (ACT) is designed to mold teens for a future in higher education and the workforce. It has even inspired a genie.

ACT co-Founder Alex Harris counts Anthony Murphy, currently starring in the national tour of the Disney musical Aladdin, as a program success story. Perhaps even more impressive is the magnet arts program’s consistent achievement: 100 percent of its participants graduate from high school; 90 percent pursue a college education.

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