Winning Feathers also organizes public speaking contests for children to practice and face the audience to help overcome stage fear, giving them a voice literally and figuratively.
“Winning Feathers was started to lift voices, to give children of all backgrounds the confidence and clarity to speak inside and outside of the classroom,” said Founder Apurva Ghelani. “These scholarships will help change 200 lives in a few weeks.”
Parents of students testify to this boosted confidence. Pramod Sajja, CEO of Paramount Software Solutions, whose 10-year-old son, Yash, has spent two summers in the program, said he’s seen tremendous growth:
“When he first enrolled, he was smart, but needed help with structuring his thoughts, but after completing the program his school teacher proactively called me to tell me how organized and eloquent he has become lately!”
Sajja noted the program drove his son to chase other passions – including starting a YouTube channel and practicing stand-up comedy.
“Winning Feathers is on a mission to equip our upcoming leaders with the confidence, personal presence, speaking skills and ability to communicate on all levels,” said Pam Leinmiller, a TEDx coach and veteran public speaking consultant. “They are on the cutting edge of this important mission!”
Much of the institute’s curriculum is designed by Kelsey Moore, who holds a doctorate in communication from the University of Kentucky and has trained TEDx speakers and Georgetown debaters:
“All of our programs introduce young students to communication skills at a crucial time – when they are growing into them,” said Moore. “Our coaches focus on helping students to learn these skills by doing – no recorded lectures – using entertaining exercises that give them confidence and get them excited about becoming clear and ethical communicators.”
“Soft skills are too important to be overlooked and in the long run it’s Winning Feathers students who will have the edge,” said Ghelani. “We want to help give students typically overlooked – who can’t afford extra instruction from communication experts – this edge. We want to help create a more equal world.”
The scholarship registration deadline is Feb. 28. Winning Feathers is also looking for individuals and organizations interested in sponsoring students to help them complete the entire certification program. To learn more, visit winningfeathers.com.
SOURCE Winning Feathers
