PHOENIX — Young people in juvenile detention are getting a chance at growth and redemption through music, thanks to an expanded partnership between Arizona State University and Maricopa County's Juvenile Detention Department.
A few detention officers started a Guitar Club, which has since grown to help even more students.
Those who help make the Guitar Club possible say it encourages positive behavior and instills confidence in kids who may have never picked up an instrument before.
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"Music heals and seeing them perform and achieve their goals has been amazing," said Alex Lopez, a programming officer with the Juvenile Probation Department, in a press release sent to ABC15.
Free Guitars 4 Kids, a nonprofit organization, has donated guitars to the Guitar Club, which are used for practice as the students hone their new skills, and can be taken home to carry on their music as they transition back to their families and communities.
ABC15's Jordan Bontke went inside the Guitar Club classroom to learn more about how this program is changing lives. Watch the full video in the player above.
Learn more about the musical opportunities that local youth in juvenile detention have from our previous reporting here.
