Jenny M. High, founder and president of Go High Center for the Arts, is a visionary and mentor to Richmond area youths.

She dreamed of providing a permanent organization located in the city for youths to participate in the urban arts that would be managed by the young people themselves.

The idea for the organization had a unique beginning sparked by her son, William. He asked her to help one of his buddies going to a prom who didn’t have the proper clothes for the formal event.

Ms. High recalls how she researched everything and “couldn’t find an organization to help. So I approached the PTSA and asked them to help me put something together for the young man at Hermitage High.”

But the Parent-Teacher-Student Association was not receptive to the idea, she said.

Seeing the challenge and being persistent, she organized Prom Bring It, a nonprofit. With the support of some parents, she solicited tuxedoes, shirts and other accessories from different businesses.

“Parents and I got together and we started to gather tuxedo packages for the boys,” Ms. High says. “We were the only organization helping our male youths inclusively — LGBT, transgender youths and special needs children.”

When her children grew older, so did the community’s needs, which expanded to several police departments, the Marines and cancer survivors needing Prom Bring It for formal attire.

“I dressed the women for the Ms. Veteran beauty pageant,” said the big-hearted mother of two.

Her heart for giving landed Prom Bring It on television, in Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazines in 2012. The organization was one of five nationally awarded Seventeen’s Purple Dress Award and $1,000.

Prom Bring It has dressed more than 7,500 kids since 2012 in Central Virginia, Northern Virginia and Washington and beyond by shipping clothes to people needing them.

The money for running the prom project came out of Ms. High’s pocket. As fundraising became a priority, she transitioned to organize Go High Corp. and the Go High Center for the Arts, which is designed to accomplish much more.

GHCTA provides opportunities for local young artists and musicians to perform and showcase their work in a healthy environment. The organization is an alternative youth community, putting on fashion shows with clothing designed by the youths, creating videos and music produced in the organization’s production studios, hosting community events and social media and marketing workshops. It offers recreational options resulting in healthy decision-making and habits, she says.

“My goal and dream is to get my young people fired up enough for them to take over and just run all of the projects and I would oversee the operation,” says Ms. High. “I just want someone with the same passion that I could trust. I want to keep adding components to it.”

She constantly advises young members with very simple statements: “Challenge yourself. Don’t be afraid of a challenge. Take it on. Just do things. You are the only one that can make a difference in your life. Start saving. Start taking care of yourself because you are the only one that can take care of you.”

Meet youth advocate and this week’s Personality, Jenny M. High:

Occupation: Systems engineer-business systems consultant.

Community involvement: Founder, owner and president Go High Corp. Center for the Arts youth organization centered around providing leadership skills, job readiness, training and development utilizing social media, music production, fashion and video as the catalyst, and founder of Prom Bring It.

Date and place of birth: April 12 in New York City. Born to a Dominican father and Lebanese mother.

Current residence: Glen Allen.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, Penn State University; bachelor’s in system administration, Syracuse University.

Family: Husband, Greg High; son, William, and daughter, Gianna.

Reason for founding Go High Center for the Arts: It was developed as a result of my daughter excelling with the violin and my son producing music. I saw that my son’s group of friends coming to the house was getting larger. They were very talented and were staying out of trouble, but they had to get out of my house. I couldn’t find a donated space for them so I had a studio built in the back of the house.

Why I am excited about this organization: Because I see the youths evolving. I see in them what they don’t see in themselves. I teach young people to use whatever gift or strength they have as a tool to work with for growth, development and leadership. I try to ignite a fire and confidence in them that has not existed before. I educate young people in a way they have never been before.

Services GHCTA provides: An alternative community for youths managed by the youths themselves, Go High Corp Center for the Arts provides opportunities for local youths to perform and showcase their own work in a healthy environment. The venue will host concerts, video and music produced in our own studios, community events and social media and marketing workshops in collaboration with local artists and musicians. Providing this alternative youth community will give youths another recreational option, resulting in healthy decision-making and habits. As GHCTA programs develop, the organization hopes to form additional community partnerships that will provide job internship opportunities for the youths each year.

How to become a volunteer: We are listed on Volunteermatch. Go to our website www.gohighcorp.org, Facebook GoHighCorp, Twitter @Gohighcorp, Instagram @Gohighcorp.

What motivated me to get involved in community service: It is in my blood. You should always give back. If it weren’t for people like my fourth-grade teacher who I still keep in touch with and is my Facebook friend, and others like her who motivated me and inspired me, I would have ended up like many of the young people today. I was blessed to be surrounded by people who inspired me and cared about me. That is a rare ingredient these days.

How I start the day: Strong coffee and my dogs, and then I log into work — sometimes vice versa.

Perfect day for me: When my interns are productive and complete everything that is assigned to them, especially because it benefits them.

If I had more time, I would: Play the lottery every day, travel more, apply for my own grants, watch more TV, etc.

A quote that I am inspired by: If you want to soar like an eagle you can’t hang around pigeons.

How I unwind: Reality TV and wine.

Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: Fast and pray every Wednesday. It was customary for me and my dad. I go to Our Lady of Lourdes for my dad’s birthday and the anniversary of his death to pray for him.

Three words that best describe me: Confident, honest, resilient.

Best late-night snack: Morcilla (Blood sausage).

Person who influenced me the most: My father.

The book that influenced me the most: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee.

What I’m reading now: The web — everything regarding everything.

My next goal: Creating educational webinars in Spanish and monetizing them.