When people ask Lydia Guerrero where her musically-inclined kids get their talents, she’s not sure what to tell them.
Growing up in a small Mexican town, neither she nor husband Fabian had many opportunities to explore their artistic sides.
So maybe their kids’ abilities come from the soul.
Or perhaps simply from a place of desperation.
Guerrero, who moved to Aurora in 1998 to join family already here, says all three of her children had difficulties early on that could have derailed their lives.
Oldest son Fabian was a bright but (she found out later) bored kid who got into so much trouble in school, doctors and social workers wanted to put him on medication to control his behavior, she said.
Second son Yair had verbal challenges. He struggled because of ear problems … and even in speech therapy had a hard time finding his young voice.
Then there was youngest, Yarezti, who from age 4, battled a chronic bacterial infection that left her anxious, clingy and shy.
Thankfully, Guerrero, who seems hardly the kind of parent to sit back and let circumstances dictate her children’s fates, heard about the Neighborhood Arts Center at First Presbyterian Church in Aurora.
The program, now under the leadership of Tim Gregson, was started by Karen Roberts in 1996 as a way to “reach out and connect” to a changing neighborhood by offering children who might not have that opportunity a chance to explore music, art and drama.
It began simply with the church organist and guitarist, she said. But over the years, thousands of children benefited not only from music training through voice, instruments, a dance studio and musicals, but also through art classes.
At one time as many as 200 kids were taking part, although those numbers have dropped significantly with changes in staffing, she said.
Roberts turned over the reins to new director Tim Gregson only recently so she could put more energy into Joni and Friends, a ministry that works with the disabled. Eventually, she said, she’d like to include that passion as part of the Neighborhood Arts Center.
Currently, there are 30 children that, through scholarships funded by the church, are receiving training from professional instructors in voice and a variety of musical instruments, including organ, piano, guitar, flute, saxophone, trumpet and clarinet.
Guerrero, who cleans offices during the graveyard shift, is quick to credit this program with “saving my children’s lives.” Fabian, now 16, is in the honors program at West Aurora High School, a member of the varsity football team, sings with the Madrigals and plays trumpet and cornet in the jazz band.
Oh, and he also finds time to hold down a part-time job, his proud mom told me.
Thirteen-year-old Yair is in the top honors program at Jefferson Middle School, she added, and is still taking piano lessons at the church; as well as playing tuba in his school band.
Then there’s Yarezti, who is hardly shy any more.
I met the confident 9-year-old Tuesday morning in a classroom at the Downer Place church, where the little girl happily talked about how important this program has been to her.
“I’ve learned how to express myself through music, any kind of music,” she said.
Yarezti then treated me to a mini recital: singing and playing “I Got Music” on the piano (I tell my honey. I don’t have money. But I got music down in my soul …)
That impromptu performance was followed by a few hip-hop steps she learned with Simply Destinee, another not for profit Aurora group that gives kids a chance to fit in while also proving they’ve got talent.
Yarezti definitely has some moves. And Ruth Kucenski, her music teacher these past three years, has seen her take big steps in the right direction. Not only is she learning to sing and play piano, the soon to be fourth-grader is involved in community theater and will be learning a musical instrument this year at McCleary School.
“And I want to learn to play guitar,” she told me. “And flute. And saxophone.”
Kucenski smiles. “The more she learns, the more she wants to learn.”
Yareztii’s mother places all this credit – including her children’s academic successes – to music … a world that was opened at the doors of First Presbyterian Church.
“She was once such a scared little child,” Guerrero said of her youngest. “Now she’s so open and confident.”
