photo by steed media service

Once Jackie S. Ladapo discovered that thousands of students in the Dallas area didn’t have a venue to express themselves artistically, she used her expertise to create The Bridge Into The 21st Century, Inc. mentoring program. The program, which is available to students ages 9-18, has since become a staple for change in the city of Dallas.

“Our program has been successful because we’ve taken a simplistic approach to reaching kids,” Ladapo says. “We use performance arts to allow them to get their point across. They create poems, plays and dance routines for self-expression.”

The program also teaches students diversity and leadership skills. Many of the students tend to progress socially after participating. “This program has allowed kids to learn more about themselves and has taught them how to be self-confident,” she says. “We’ve observed that kids who were negative when they first began, are now more positive. They have to follow the rules and they understand that there are consequences when they don’t behave themselves.”

Ladapo believes that the students will receive long-term benefits. “We’ve taken kids to a level where they can learn about life and interact with others before they get to the workplace,” she says. “Our program will have a huge effect.”- amir shaw

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