Educational Background/Training
TWP Director offers Professional Development for schools, recreation centers and other youth serving organizations. Training & development through our vast network of Creative Youth Development organizations including:
- Brave New Voices, Youth Speaks, CA;
- Young Chicago Authors;
- Urban Word NY;
- Split This Rock DC; with local development through VCA & various local arts orgs
- Community Connections for Youth, NY
- Asheville Yoga Teacher Training 200 hrs.
- Atma Bodha Yoga Teacher Training 300 hrs.
About the Artist/Ensemble
Teens With a Purpose (TWP) is an Arts-Based organization, with over 24 years of experience in Creative Youth Development. TWP curates & delivers arts-based events, workshops, curriculums, and programs & works as facilitators, performing artists and contributing artists in the genre of Performance Poetry; Music & music production, Digital production, Visual Art, including Space-making, Arts-based youth development workshops and yoga as art in motion. (Yoga as art in motion is a guided practice for self expression, stress release and a means to develop a greater sense of mind-body connection to gain a greater sense of ownership over the body and breath and to augment overall well-being.)
Teaching Artists and Peer Leader teams including two Teaching Artists who are currently registered on the Virginia Arts Commission Artist Roster and three former Hampton Roads Youth Poet Laureates and youth poets, singers and dancers. TWP Director offers Professional Development for schools, recreation centers and other youth serving organizations. All programs and performances are offered live, virtually or as hybrid events.
Educational Program Description
Premier Programing – TWP’s original literary arts curriculum that helps students use their narrative as the foundation for critical analysis, and the exploration of literary arts as a form of self expression and transformation. Since 2015, TWP Literary Arts curriculum, offered as a School-Based & Community-Based program called HEAR THIS! Has brought poet mentors/teaching artists into the classroom and after-school clubs & community spaces throughout Hampton Roads through high-level creative writing & performance poetry. Program includes a culminating event called the Hampton Roads Youth Poetry Festival, a four-part festival after the school year curriculum concludes usually in April, national poetry month.
Youth Poet Laureate Program the South Eastern Virginia’s only gateway to the National Youth Poet Laureate program has been offered since 2015 as well. Hampton Roads Youth Poetry Laureate Program has created a profound platform for young orators, writers and poets from across the 7 cities to elevate their talent and civic/social engagement. Like Amanda Gorman, the National Youth Poet Laureate, the Hampton Roads Youth Poet Laureate speaks to civic and social consciousness while inspiring a passion for reading, writing and poetry.
Through Just AART (Artists, Activists Relying on Technology) – curriculum developed by TWP youth learn singing/songwriting, guitar lessons/ music & video production. Youth develop ongoing episodes on their spotify teen podcast; host and perform during teen open mic live & virtually; and upload their original songs and poems to their spotify channel, all under the guidance of their teaching artist/mentors and peer leaders.
Peer Development –TWP teaching artists & trained Peer leaders creates youth-driven, culturally relevant, programs & events focused on positive relationship building; high-level arts experiences with expert artist mentors; Asset-Based to help youth build upon their inherent strengths; we honor youth & community voice.