Claressa Winston

Claressa Winston is a pioneering advocate for out-of-school adolescent care. As the executive director of the Youth Life Center of the Arts, she has led the charge in developing programming aimed squarely at the social, emotional, and character development of children aged 10-15. Using the discovery of their inner fire as a catalyst for sparking growth, Ms. Winston has built a foundation for the youth of Clayton County, GA.

Seeing a marked lack of programming for middle school students, Ms. Winston has turned her expertise into advocacy and training. Working with school boards, educators, community leaders, and parent organizations, she has taken up the mantle of service to create more out-of-school opportunities for older children.

Claressa Winston and her team bridge the gap between after-school daycare and “not quite old enough to be home alone” with a flair for the dramatic, using the performing and visual arts as a therapeutic approach to adolescent care and development.