Young imaginations will get ‘Spark’d’ by new Harrison Park tech studio
Tech specialist Kia Xiong looks over the shoulders of Bethune Community School students working on iMac computers. Photo courtesy of the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board.
By David Pierini, Editor
Any kid who declares himself bored while hanging out at Harrison Recreation Center clearly has not been in the green remodeled room with the new brushed- aluminum computers, recording studio and large-screen TV for gaming.
The aptly named Spark’d Studio was created for that kid.
It is the second Spark’d in the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation system. The Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board opened the first one in Powderhorn Park in 2021 and plans are underway to build studios at four other parks in the city.
The studio mission is to help kids gain creative skills in digital arts and cultivate career interests and readiness with access to technology and free multimedia arts programming.
The technology and other tools of enrichment include five desktop Mac computers, 10 MacBook laptops, a recording booth with an engineer work station, 10 mini keyboards with headphones, an eventual camera for learning photography and video, two gaming stations, a high-resolution scanner and 3D printer.
“Our hope and interest we’ve all talked about is for kids to unlock their dreams,” said Anthony Bates, the recreation supervisor at Harrison. “Come into the space, explore, build and dream.”
The Harrison studio opened on Feb. 13 and open studio hours are after 3 p.m. on weekdays plus learning programs in the evenings. Kids will likely be greeted and pulled in by the studio’s tech specialist Kia Xiong.
The Harrison studio is 1,000 square feet and the $597,000 construction costs brought an upgrade to the Rec Plus School-Age Childcare room and added air conditioning to the entire recreation center. There are bright colors, comfortable future and warm spaces that work for both group and individual pursuits.
The Spark’d Studio includes a sound-proof booth for recording vocals for music and other projects. Photo courtesy of the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board.
Parks Supt. Al Bangoura had hopes for creating these types of spaces when he was hired by the Park Board in 2019. When he was the recreation director at Powderhorn Park more than 20 years ago, he wanted kids to have more options than just basketball.
He had lost some of his park kids over the years to gun violence and wanted to make sure youth had more options than a gym and basketballs to occupy their time.
Bangoura said he took the kids aside and asked them what would save lives? What is something kids could really connect with? They said music and so Bangoura created a small soundproof music studio at the Powderhorn Recreation Center with proceeds from the park’s annual art fair.
“It was incredible,” Bangoura said. “We were sitting in a room with kids, some of whom didn’t like each other and they were literally writing, singing and producing together. And now they have something in common and it breaks down barriers. The love for that space changes them because it changes their hearts.”
Rachel Bosch, youth technology and careers skills manager for the Park Board, said the Harrison studio will continue to grow and add programs to teach, such as drone flying. She said the goal for now is for kids to have fun and let the skills and interests naturally develop in the kids who visit the studio.
“They can pick the work station they want and really self-direct,” she said. “Maybe they work on a school project or build a creative portfolio and they get to use technology or software they don’t have access to.”
Go to minneapolisparks.org/sparkd for more information on Spark’d Studios and follow the “Browse and Register for Classes” button to view current programs offered. Follow Spark’d Studios on Instagram @ sparkdmpls for updates straight from the Studios. Questions? Email sparkd@ minneapolisparks.org.