Fort Worth nonprofit blends STEM and the arts to give kids a bright future

In his efforts to help youngsters find a brighter future, Tyrone King is building up STEAM.

King is the founder of Healing Fort Worth Inc., an arts based nonprofit that focuses on youth education and development by blending the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields with the arts, creating a STEAM program.

“We use theater training to show the young artists how to better understand STEM and how it works in everyday life,” King said.

The acronym HEALING stands for Having Every Available Leader Impact the Next Generation.

Using an arts platform, the young artists plan, create, and perform their own show.

“We begin with a budget, so the first field is math,” King said. “Then we have to decide how big the stage is and how to design and build a set that fits within the stage, which requires engineering and math.

“Next comes the lighting and sound design, which requires use of the science field to understand how each light bulb is made and how they work, as well as studying how you create sound.

“Finally, we use technology to decide, design, and create a set of lighting/sound cues for the show, then install the cues into a computer which operates the lighting/sound systems.”

While all of that is going on, the young artists still have to write, rehearse, and choose costumes for their show. When all of that is completed within the budget, they get to perform in front of an audience.

Beginning of outreach program

King said the idea came from discussions between himself and former Jubilee Theatre Artistic Director Ed Smith when they worked together at the Jubilee from 2006-2010.

“We would talk about the history of theater, the importance of the arts, how it affects society, and how we can use it to impact the next generation,” King said.

Together, they started a free after-school and summer outreach program in 2023 to reach under-served young artists, working with about 200 or so. Realizing what they had to offer, King and Smith decided to start a nonprofit organization to help impact the next generation.

As King fought a battle with prostate cancer in 2024, the program was put on hold. Now that he’s much better, he said, the program has renewed.

They’ve been meeting and performing at various locations throughout the Fort Worth/Arlington area, and have even traveled to Austin. King said they are close to announcing a permanent location.

Challenges facing the arts

King believes it’s important for youngsters to better understand the arts because numerous studies have shown kids learn faster when arts are involved. Also, he believes everyone is an artist in some form.

“I’ve seen firsthand how involvement in the arts helps create discipline, confidence and self-esteem in youngsters,” he said. “Studies conclude that youngsters who are involved in ongoing arts programs have better attendance, read better, are more likely to graduate and pursue higher education. In addition, they’re less likely to get involved in gangs or engage in criminal activities.”

Interestingly, King said didn’t get involved in the theater until he took a drama class after returning to college at age 30.

“It completely changed my life. Until that time there was always a feeling of inner restlessness,” he said. “As a result, while in my teens and 20s I made some bad decisions and got involved in some risky activities, not realizing that the entire time there was an inner artist trying to get out.”

King said he thinks the biggest challenges facing youngsters and the arts today are the lack of funding and exposure.

“The overwhelming majority of youngsters want to be involved in the arts in some capacity,” he said. “But unfortunately, the lack of funding for the arts ultimately hinders the exposure that is essential.

“HFW will make sure that arts are strong for Fort Worth’s future because we’re engaging youngsters in under-served communities and training them to become future arts professionals and patrons who will share their love for the arts with the next generation.”

Smith added, “It’s a necessity for youngsters to be able to express themselves onstage or write about their experiences. Since they’re cutting back on arts funding in school, theater arts programs and professionals have an obligation to give back to their communities.”

Tyrone King’s theater history

King has been involved in the arts for over 30 years in various ways, from acting to producing and all points in between. He’s won numerous acting and directing awards, including last year’s Irma P. Hall Theatre Award for Featured Actor In A Play. He’s also had the privilege to perform throughout America.

He said his daughter and grandson are both involved in the arts in Atlanta.

“She’s primarily a film actress and has worked in movies such as ‘Hidden Figures’ and ‘Shazam 2’, among others,” he said. “My grandson got his start on ‘Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Boo 2: A Halloween Story.’”

Fort Worth native and professional actress Sheran Keyton endorses HFW.

“The arts are important to youth because it gives them a much-needed vehicle, sometimes away from their current set of circumstances, sometimes into a world that is built more for students who learn and communicate differently, sometimes for those who are great storytellers and need to be able to express themselves in creative ways not often available in more traditional careers,” she said.

Kadin Tomlinson is a 15-year-old who was mentored by King. He said, “The arts gave me confidence and taught me to be more disciplined. It helps me communicate my feelings better.”

Like many nonprofits, HFW relies heavily on donations. King said with a smile that “All it takes is for 5,000 people to donate $1 monthly.”

However, they have other needs as well, such as finding a permanent building. There’s also the need for items such as laptops, scanners, printers, theatre equipment — and, of course, volunteers.

This story was originally published August 6, 2025 at 2:41 PM.