Share Your Voice Foundation Offering Full Scholarships to Local Teens for summer Empowerment through Performance Workshop!
The Share Your Voice Foundation, an organization that believes in the transformative power of the arts, is offering full scholarships to Flathead Valley teenagers to attend a weeklong, creative leadership workshop.
The scholarships are available to teens ages 13 to 17 to attend the Empowerment through Performance Workshop, an innovative program designed to build confidence and creative leadership skills through arts-based curriculum. The workshop will take place July 21-26 in Whitefish.
Share Your Voice Foundation, now in its eighth year, provides the workshops to help teens improve their confidence, foster self-esteem and build effective communication skills.
“This program changed my life,” said Vanessa Naïve, a student participant in the first year of the workshop, who has returned to the organization as a board member. “Everyone has a voice to share.”
In just six days, through the unique mesh of the creative fields of writing, performance, music and film, young participants learn to nurture their creativity, practice team-building skills, and ultimately learn how to express themselves in a positive way.
“This year we are excited to announce that Deborah Read will be contributing to the workshop as a guest film educator,” said Jennifer Johnson-Bell, co-founder of the foundation and educational director. Read, a board member of the Share Your Voice Foundation, is the producer who brought the television show The Bachelor to Whitefish in 2013. “This will be an incredible opportunity for our students,” said Johnson-Bell. They will get to learn from and be mentored by a top professional in the industry.”
Veteran choreographer and dance educator Leslie Yancey of YanceyDance Theatre will also be one of this year’s guest educators in the workshop. Local musical talent Luke Dowler, recently back from a European tour, will be leading the songwriting portion of the program.
Over the course of the workshop, participants work to develop self-awareness through movement classes, voice projection and performance preparation, as well as exploring songwriting and film.
This year’s workshop culminates in Night at the Landing, a live performance event created and performed by the workshop participants. The performance and benefit concert featuring Luke Dowler and friends will take place on July 26 at Stillwater Landing near Whitefish.
Participation in the workshop is by invitation only, with a limited number of positions available by application. Full scholarships are provided for each participant, but space is extremely limited. Potential students are encouraged to apply early. Applications are now being accepted through June 5th. Information regarding how to nominate a student is available on this webpage.
The Share Your Voice Foundation asks for local businesses and organizations to help support the workshop and local youth who participate. Cash donations, in-kind sponsorships and volunteers are needed.