Jon Soto

Jon has been a notable leader in youth development for over 12 years. His intro to the field began as a youth delegate for his neighborhood church, where he developed retreats, designed faith-based curriculum, and facilitated community events promoting youth as a prominent force in their community over his eight years in the position. Jon has always valued service work; through AmeriCorps, he journeyed to New Orleans to rehabilitate houses ravaged by Hurricane Katrina for families wanting to return home. During this time, he discovered his passion for education, as he taught the art of construction and mentored volunteers of varying ages and backgrounds in a collaborative effort to rebuild and aid those families in need. He brought the experience and passion he gained in the Big Easy into the world of after-school upon his return to the Big Apple through his 5 years serving 400+ families at Lab Middle School with Manhattan Youth. During this time, Jon helped to initiate and fortify a developmental and competitive sports program, created a comprehensive education program that was engaging, safe, and inclusive, and established strong bonds with the community to create an environment of collaboration. He now hopes to apply those experiences and passions to Creative Muse to serve a brand new community