Or (pseudonym), a 14-year-old regular at the Center, has truly blossomed since discovering his passion and talent for painting through the graffiti art activity.  When Or first started attending the Center last year, the counselors saw before them a shy and insecure boy who wasn’t very interested in making friends at the Center. The counselors were aware that he was struggling at school and it seemed that Or saw himself as a “reject kid” who preferred to hang around by himself.  Despite Or’s apparent lack of social participation at the Center, he nevertheless attended the Center very regularly and the counselors took him under their wing, making sure that he was included in the different activities offered at the Center. 

However, it was when Or began participating in the art graffiti course that the counselors saw a major transformation in his behavior and personality.  They discovered that Or is an incredibly talented artist and the course really gave him a chance to shine! He took on a leading role among the group in designing and painting the murals and his peers developed a new-found appreciation and respect for him.  Ever since, participating in the art graffiti course Or has become much more active at the Center and has integrated socially far more with his peers.  Or also has built up a strong relationship with the counselor leading this activity, opening up to him about the difficulties that he faces in his everyday life.  It is clear that this opportunity to develop his artistic talent was precisely the boost to his self-confidence that Or so desperately needed.