Helen Ravenel for the Moultrie News

Carlos Irving, middle, brings his two sons “D-Mac,” left and “Yung Montay,” right, from Huger at least once a week to write and record music at Carolina Studios site. Known as the Fly Boys, the two boys perform positive hip hop throughout S.C., Ga. and New York City.

Helen Ravenel for the Moultrie News

Instructors Larry Ford, Jr., Jesse Berger, Nate Mallard, along with Carolina Studios Executive Director Johnnie Mitchell, and board member Dan Logan are shown outside the recreation facility at Mall Park.

Helen Ravenel for the Moultrie News

Jessica McNeil and Carolina Studios board member Dan Logan make some tunes last Friday at Mall Park Playground on Columbus Street in downtown Charleston.

For the past year and a half, McNeil has been writing down lyrics and recording her own songs on the computers that  Carolina Studios has provided to her.

She admits she has had many family problems, including her father being killed last year.

McNeil was in a tough spot when she came to the nonprofit organization.

She was surprised at the positive impact and sense of empowerment she felt in producing her own music. The instructors around her were equally as encouraging.

“I could release myself into music,” said McNeil who thanked Carolina Studios for helping her succeed.

She received a scholarship to South Carolina State University and will be a freshman in the fall.

She will major in the music industry and minor in business.

Carolina Studios has 55 registered children, ages 8-18.

Open five days a week and free of charge, Carolina Studios opened its  first public facility in January. The facility is located  at the recreation center at Mall Park on the corner of America Street and Columbus Street.

The other existing location is inside the Mary Street Boys & Girls Club downtown.

“We’d like to offer our services all over Charleston county. (Presently) only this area gets the benefits,” said Johnnie Mitchell, executive director at Carolina Studios.

Larry Ford, Jr., Carolina Studios instructor, had divorced parents at a young age and bounced around from home to home.

He said that as a kid growing up, he had no one to look up to. Working with kids has helped him to learn many things about himself.

Ford has seen the positive influences Carolina Studios has as an outlet for kids to express themselves “other than fighting and arguing.”

He has seen kids become creative and confident with themselves as well as gain computer technology skills.

Most importantly, Ford said they can focus their attention outside the streets’ environment to grow and learn as a person.

Carolina Studios and Boys and Girls Clubs of The Trident Area will be beneficiaries of  Grammy-award-winning Toots & The Maytals concert on Friday, July 24 at The Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina at Patriot’s Point.

The event will include opening performances by Carolina Studios media arts program children.

“This is such an awesome opportunity for our kids to be introduced to the ‘world stage’ where they hopefully will be motivated to stay in school, achieve, and strive for success in the world,” Mitchell said.  

If you want to go

Gates open at 5:30 p.m., with the  VIP auction at 6 p.m, followed by the Carolina Studios performances at 7 p.m, and Toot & The Maytals at 8 p.m.  Tickets are $30  in advance and $40 the day of event.  VIP tickets are $100, and include admission to the VIP auction, free full bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and a special seating/viewing area near the front of the stage.  

Parking is free.  

Tickets to the event are available now, and can be purchased at www.etix.com or by calling 800-514-ETIX or at Cat’s and Monster Music locations.

All proceeds from the event will go to benefit Carolina Studios and Boys and Girls Clubs of The Trident Area.  For more  details about visit www.carolinastudios.net or go to www.tootsandthemaytals.com.

(Helen Ravenel can be reached at helen@moultrienews.com.