When Bill Brawley was a Niles High School senior in 1973, he got a letter in the mail asking if he wanted to try out for Young Americans.
“I did not know who they were,” Brawley said.
But a gut feeling about the charitable youth acting and performance group convinced Brawley to go to California and give it a try.
Fast forward to 2016 and Brawley is now the CEO of Young Americans, which aims to provide children with engaging music education.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Young Americans visited Niles High School, a place where Brawley first found his passion for fine arts.
“That is where I got my training, from Niles High School,” Brawley said.
Students from the third grade to the 12th grade packed the auditorium and channeled their
energy into a series of dance moves as part of the first of three workshops, before the Young Americans will put on performances with students at 7 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Saturday at Niles High School, 1441 Eagle St. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and can be purchased during workshop hours at the high school from 1 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday and noon to 2 p.m. Friday. Tickets can also be purchased at the door on Friday and Saturday.
For many students, Brawley said that Young Americans presents them with an opportunity.
“Because they get to express themselves and they get to feel good,” Brawley said. “They get to reach goals. They get to feel confident about themselves and they get to work as a team.”
Since becoming CEO, Brawley has worked to build on the foundation of Young Americans, which was first started by a Southern California teacher Milton Anderson in 1962.
Brawley said Anderson came up with the idea for a group of youth actors and musicians because he was discouraged by the way that youth were portrayed in the media and on TV.
Brawley said Anderson wanted to start up a group that would showcase youth positively. Additionally, Anderson wanted to have a diverse group of youth and bring them all together. With a number of music programs being cut
from schools, Anderson also did not want children to be denied music education.
Originally, students would come to work with the Young Americans in California, but Brawley was faced with a dilemma when a teacher in Florida called him to say there was no way all the students who wanted to participate would be able to fly to California, so Brawley decided it was time to mobilize the group and bring the teaching aspect to youth all over the world.
“I got on the phone and called teachers all over the country and said, ‘Can we come to your city?’” Brawley said.
Now the Young Americans will complete 13 tours nationally and internationally. In the course of a year, the group will work with thousands of youth.
More than 200 students in the Niles area signed up to participate. After the Niles tour, Young Americans will head back to California.
“It is their last tour, so it is kind of special,” Brawley said. “I like seeing the [youth] smile and feel good about themselves and know that music effects people so much.”