Human Trafficking Class Offered to Middle and High School Girls on Sanibel

Island Sun, Sanibel, August 12, 2011

A Human Trafficking ARTREACH class will be held at BIG Arts after school on Monday August 22, August 29, September 12 and September 19 from 3 pm to 7 pm. (No class on Labor Day.)

Since 2005, a Human Trafficking Task Force has operated under the auspices of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the number of cases, especially involving young American girls in sex trafficking has grown.

Since 2010, Human Trafficking Awareness Partnerships, a Sanibel-based non-profit has been offering ARTREACH programs which use art as a means to educate young girls about the dangers of trafficking. Paintings done by past participants are on display at BIG Arts through August.

Students will learn about human trafficking and the use of art as a means to educate others. They will receive community service credit and snacks and dinner will be provided at each class. The primary instructors are Nola Theiss, Executive Director of HTAP and Gari Lewis, art instructor as well as guest speakers and art instructors and volunteers who have been active in the Lee County Sheriff’s Human Trafficking Task Force.

All middle and high school girls are invited to participate.  Information about the class is available through the Sanibel School and the Sanibel Recreation Center and is posted at http://www.humantraffickingawareness.org/announcements-mainmenu-46.html or by calling Nola Theiss at 239-292-3834. Transportation to BIG Arts can be arranged after school. Enrollment is limited to 12 girls on a first-signed-up basis. Please respond by August 19 at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it as the class is limited to the first 12 students. A program for boys is currently under development. There is no fee for this class which is supported by the Zonta Club of Sanibel-Captiva, BIG Arts and the generosity of local restaurants.