The popular Teen Arts Council-sponsored Open Mic Nights, which give high school students a free, unstructured opportunity to perform for their peers, are back starting Friday under the new leadership of two Palo Alto High School students.

Paly sophomores Clara Baker and Sophie Sweezey have taken over after Leah Bleich graduated in May.

Baker and Sweezey are eager to step up to fill Bleich’s spot and keep the Open Mic Nights running smoothly.

“It is a great thing that people our age can have an opportunity to do stuff that we wouldn’t be able to do in school without having to pay and without having to audition,” Baker said.

The two have already been brainstorming goals ways to make this year’s round of Open Mic Nights even better than those of the past.

“I want more people to know about it, I want more people to come to it, and I want there to be more diversity in the acts,” Baker said. “I want new performers of all kinds to feel like they can do something that they’re good at. They can just come here [to Open Mic Night] and express themselves.”

Friday’s Open Mic Night will be at the Children’s Theatre at Lucie Stern.