As you take your final step off of the school bus and depart from your friends you make a mental list of everything you have to accomplish before the day is over. Homework, your new job, and spending time with the ones you love occupies every moment of your life. Although you enjoy the fast paced high school schedule you still wish you had time to collect your thoughts and finish your research paper in peace, without your mom telling you to clean your room, or your little brother running around the kitchen table where you are trying to study. The Latrobe Art Center, located on 819 Ligonier Street is open Mondays-Fridays, 10 am to 5 pm, and Saturdays until 3 pm. It offers an excellent working environment as well as a relaxed and sociable atmosphere.

The Latrobe Art Center is a place to resort to for peace, quiet and a caramel latte. The walls are entirely decorated with professional artwork with serene lighting and soft music that accompanies the soft  laughter and bliss of the kind employees. Gabrielle Nastuck, director of the Latrobe Art Center, encourages students of all ages to “come hang out and do some homework,” or  finish the book that you never got around to picking up again, while you soak in the musical talents of local musicians.

Greater Latrobe High school Senior, Tom Maroon, plays his acoustic guitar at the Open Mic Nights held on Tuesdays from 7 pm to 9 pm at the Latrobe Art Center. Not only does Maroon’s guitar sound as though an angel is assisting his pick but his voice melts with the notes in the thick air that surrounds his calm aura as he performs. “The Latrobe Art Center is beneficial because people of all ages and all skill levels are welcome to come do what they love. The people are supportive and it’s a great environment. Basically everybody listens to music, so I love performing because it’s something that everyone can relate to. Performing makes me feel positive about myself,” said Maroon.

As the audience cheers and smiles with joy, Maroon humbly smiles and walks back to his seat with a glow of devotion and contentment in his eyes. Maroon uses the warm atmosphere as a refuge to spread his musical gifts to the world, he will leave a legacy with his music.

 “More people need to take advantage of the opportunities that are offered, there is a bit of everything for everybody,” said Nastuck. Follow her advice and a world of insightful and deep art will seep through the average high school view of what appears to be a normal building on the corner of Ligonier Street.