The Orange Mound Arts Council held a theater camp for local junior and senior high school students last week, from Monday, June 6, through Friday, June 10. We sent photographer Reginald Johnson to capture the workshops and he came away so inspired that he returned for the final performance. And after taking a look through his photos, we understand why.

What he witnessed, he says, are “just ordinary kids who still believe and hope for a better future than what they experience and see outside of their doors.”

Take a look.