In celebration of the Prodigy Cultural Arts Program’s 15th anniversary, the University Area CDC (Community and Development Corporation) presents the I Am Prodigy Music Festival on Thursday, Dec. 3 from 4 to 6 p.m., featuring Fred Johnson and his special guests Tom “Z” and James Crumbly. This free festival will take place at the beautiful new University Area Pavilion at 14013 N. 22nd St. in Tampa. Additional entertainment will include performances by The Collective, Hyfa tha Prospect, FS 88 Drum Line & Step Team of Prodigy Boys & Girls Club Brandon, Tampa I Prodigy and Prodigy Moves, as well as an art walk featuring Junior Polo and Vivian Fisk. The Prodigy Cultural Arts Program uses an innovative approach to empower, educate and enable at-risk youth, providing a doorway to a better world. Youth ages 7 to 17 experience performing and visual arts, taught as a tool for self-expression, to learn communication, exploration, problem solving, and conflict resolution skills. Established in 2000, when University Area CDC itself was just two years old, Prodigy has thrived and is achieving its mission of transforming lives. With the championing of Sen. Victor Crist, generous funding from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and leadership of the University Area CDC, the program now reaches across seven counties, has 13 partner sites and has spread to 42 programming locations. In 2014 alone, more than 3,400 youth experienced the benefits of Prodigy.