ACT’s Educational Youth Program goals are to instill in our youth an appreciation of their cultural heritage, enhance their appreciation of the arts, and, hopefully, evidence results of a positive outgrowth of enhancement of local pride, self esteem, confidence, and compassion.  In our underserved area of eastern KY and southwestern Virginia, our youth, teens in particular, have very few activities that involve them in structured and supervised experiences and opportunities to express themselves creatively and create personal relationships beyond the family they were reared in and the classes in which they are educated. Our schools offer the basic core curriculum but limit activities that teach our youth to take advantage of naturally creative opportunities. Youth seek extracurricular activities of this nature, but are frequently offered chances to drive around in their and their friends specially equipped cars or ingest legal and illegal substances that alter their perceptions and attitudes. It is ACT's goal to provide these youths with controlled, supervised experiences that would allow them to function in their present environment, instill in our youth the ability to respond effectively and guide them to have confidence in their own judgments, adapt to everyday living after graduation from high school or even college. And, we must have our youth yearning for more than the vehicles and drugs with which many of our area youth seek to express themselves. These learning essentials are developed in art programs regardless of socioeconomic circumstances. Arts participation is highly correlated with future socio-economic status, and is the most significant predictor of academic performance. Creative art also positively affects relationships and attitudes in families, in leisure time, and in everyday routines. Therefore, Artists Collaborative Theatre's Summer 2003 Youth Theatre Workshop will provide to our region the arts as a fundamental learning opportunity and a chance for our youth to connect with opportunities that they would not have within a reasonable driving distance.