Kids Empowerment Academy is a new self-confidence and communication development program that reaches out to those children who may be struggling with self-esteem, and self-expression. They use games, positive peer interaction, and public speaking techniques to pull children out of their shells and into the confident individuals they are meant to be. “Childhood is when children are forming ideas about their abilities. If they are too shy to express themselves, or ask for help, it can be damaging academically, and on a social level,” says communication specialist Ester Du Von, who has discovered that a focused and receptive audience is the instrument needed in order to allow children to blossom.
Seven-year-old Lydia was so painfully shy her parents realized that she could be a bud that might never open. They took their child to Kids Empowerment Academy.
“Can you hear Lydia speak?” Du Von asked the kiddy group. “No,” came back the cry. “Then let’s cup our hands to our ears,” offered the smiling instructor, who repeated and repeated the suggestion until Lydia was practically shouting and doing so with glee.
Like Lydia, most children just need a little encouragement to step out of their shell. If they are laughed at, ignored, or are told that they are wrong, many kids become afraid to put themselves in the spotlight again. This can be devastating to their self-confidence.
“It is very important that the audience is supportive and listens to the child who is speaking. Children know when they are being listened to. They need to believe that what they say is important to others,” says Du Von.
When asked why she avoided speaking at school, nine-year-old Sara said, “It hurts my feelings when people whisper to each other when I am talking. It makes me feel like they don’t care. Here everyone listens to me, and is my friend.”
“In our program, the audience works as a team with the speaker,” says Du Von. “They are actively listening to the other students and excited to participate in the positive peer environment. We know how hard it is for kids who feel rejected by their peers. We make sure that everyone works as a team, and no one feels ignored and unimportant.”
Classroom support and warm and encouraging guidance are only a few of the tools used by Kids Empowerment Academy. They also make speech-giving fun and enjoyable for kids.
“If kids are not having fun, they are not learning,” says Du Von. “We teach our students to have fun by giving them enjoyable topics to speak about. The more the student is excited about his or her speech, the more others will be too. The kids begin to associate speaking in front of their peers as fun and rewarding, and that’s when their self-esteem soars.”
“My favorite speech was my invention. I was able to invent something really cool and present it to the class. I invented a homework machine. It was awesome! Everyone said they would buy it from me, even though I said I would only sell it for one million dollars,” says eleven-year-old Bryan.
At a time where school overcrowding is a concern, Kids Empowerment Academy sees one-on-one instructor time as vital to the success of each student.
Statistics show that three out of four people suffer from speech anxiety. Kids Empowerment Academy believes that these numbers can be greatly reduced if kids are given the tools to see self-expression as exciting and fun at an early age.
“There is no end to the talents of children who feel inspired to express themselves,” says Du Von. “When kids feel safe to share their thoughts with the group, amazing things can happen. We are proud to provide a fun environment where our students are heard, empowered, and supported by their peers!”
Kids Empowerment Academy is running their Mastery Summer Camp this July 30th- August 10th
For information on their Program call 212-931-8537 or visit their website.
Kids Empowerment Academy
134 W 29th St 2nd Floor
212-931-8537
