On the heels of its successful Creative Minds summer camp, NewBridge Cleveland has kicked off another new initiative: CLE Lead. An art-inspired leadership training program, CLE Lead will help more than 100 middle school and high school students develop skills in ceramics, graphic design, and photography—as well as boost social and emotional intelligence—over a yearlong period.

From climate change to Charlottesville to immigration, no topic is off limits at the new Art of Dissent exhibit in Shaker Heights. Housed in the Shaker Community Gallery (inside the small rectory of Christ Episcopal Church) and curated by Leslye Arian, Art of Dissent features the work of four local artists concerned about the environment, human rights, and inequality.

The educational opportunities at NewBridge Cleveland have afforded one promising graphic design student a fast track to a full scholarship at Cleveland Institute of Art.

Is there an east/west divide when it comes to summer's top treat? What's the mystery behind a legendary local malt? Does a secret ice cream menu lurk in Ohio City? Fresh Water's got all the insider 411 on cool faves in the 216.
 

This series of stories, "Grassroots Success: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods," explores how meaningful impact on our communities grows from the ground up. Support for "Grassroots Success" is provided by Neighborhood Connections and NewBridge Cleveland Center for Arts & Technology.
 
This past Saturday at the Cleveland Masonic Auditorium, the NewBridge Cleveland Center for Art and Technology graduated 60 students from their Phlebotomy Technician, Pharmacy Technician and Hospital Nursing Assistant programs. While the event marked a promising new day for those students, Fresh Water took some time to meet former NewBridge student Tyeisha Long, whose story truly brings the organization's impact into sharp focus.

Mckinley Wiley took the photos included in this article during the May 20, 2017 NewBridge Cleveland graduation celebration.
 
Tyeisha Long was raising a small child alone, living with various relatives for short periods of time when she made a pivotal decision. She was going to move forward to a better position in life no matter how much sacrifice it involved. And then without looking back, she did.

Read her inspirational story here.
 

In this last installment of a series that takes a closer look at motorcycle dreams, Cleveland style, we meet Chuck Perez, whose handcrafted CLE-made leather goods garner national attention — call that the real deal.

In this — the second in an unexpected three-part series that takes a closer look at motorcycle dreams, Cleveland style — we meet a man who's jumped head first into the local custom bike scene in the strangest way.

Edgy bigger-than-life art meets vintage bikes courtesy of a legendary Cleveland artist in this, the first in an unexpected three-part series that takes a closer look at motorcycle dreams, Cleveland style.

As host to Earth Day and Arbor Day, April is a very green month indeed — and Fresh Water readers will delight in this roundup of alt options to honor Mother Nature, from toasting her trees to walking among them.
 

NewBridge Cleveland's adult job training programs have taken off since the center for arts and technology's 2010 opening, expanding offerings and tripling enrollment in its health-tech programming.

Children living in Cuyahoga County have some of the highest lead blood-levels in the Ohio. Public entities, nonprofits such as Neighborhood Connections and – most importantly – residents on the ground are tackling the broad and complex problem.

For those willing to venture over hill and dale, Fresh Water offers up a host of unique holiday activities, from a life-sized Candy Land game to gliding down a not-so-ominous Christmas Story slide.

From the reclamation of the Henninger Landfill to saving a Russell Township farm, the Western Reserve Land Conservancy fosters thriving urban centers, green space and more by preserving some 5,000 acres annually.
 

From an anthropomorphic aardvark to a golden guy named Oscar, the venerable CIA is brimming with surprises of fine art, pop culture and a heaping helping of quirk.

This series of stories, "Grassroots Success: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods," explores how meaningful impact on our communities grows from the ground up. Support for "Grassroots Success" is provided by Neighborhood Connections.
 
Alex Robertson is smart, ambitious, and successful. And after leaving Glenville to attend Ivy League Columbia University in New York City, he returned home to share what he has gleaned and improve his neighborhood by making it more fun.
 
Robertson threw a birthday party for his entire community when he first formed the pop-up game and event organization Recess Cleveland (recessCLE). Its first event was held on his 31^st birthday, August 9, 2015.
 
“Birthdays are always a good time to get people out to an event,” says Robertson. “I told my friend, for my birthday I want to throw dodge balls at you.”
 
Approximately 50 people showed up. They divided the group into age 21 and under and age 22 and older.

”The highlight of the day was a 65-year-old grandma pitching to five-year-old kids,” Robertson says. “When she was kicking, she kicked a line-drive to the outfield. So all the kids were like, ‘Granny’s got legs!’ We did get her a designated runner, though.”

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Local artists Gary and Laura Dumm mix the likes of Frankenstein and vampires with pesticides and global warming - along with a side of humor - in an evocative new show.

Tigers, flamingos and elephants aside, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is also home to the world-class Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine – a mecca of animal care, science, conservation, education and research.