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Telmate has been partnering with the Western Treasure Valley Boys and Girls Club with initiatives to help ensure that kids steer their lives away from a life of crime. Known as “Telmate Cares,” Telmate employees volunteer their time to teach classes to disadvantaged youth every month with topics ranging from Graphic Design using Photoshop, Basic Coding Skills, Branding 101 and more recently “Using Photography to Tell Stories.”

During the class, Telmate Cares volunteer Angela Frucci talked about her life as a photographer and showed the children published samples of her work. The objective of the class was to show children to see the world around them from a different perspective and as a powerful way to tell stories. Class participants were equipped with cameras so they could go around, explore and take photos of newly discovered subjects.

“Showing these kids how to change out a camera lens for the first time and teaching them about what makes a striking photograph, were two of the most fulfilling hours of my life,” said Frucci. “They were extremely keyed into learning about finding subjects in unexpected places.”

Telmate believes this initiative is helping reduce recidivism at its core by providing disadvantaged youth with positive resources and steering them away from negative teenage pressures. Western Treasure Valley Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Matt Sorensen agrees. “The kids may not have been able to have that consistency growing up so it’s important for us to get dedicated volunteers so that they can establish rapport with them.”