Members of the Talented Teen Club usually focus on life’s critical needs for success: self-confidence, team-building and structure. In December, the group will have a bit more fun.
On Friday, Dec. 18 at Grace Fellowship Church in West Palm Beach, the club will host its annual Winter Jam Concert, a night of performance and celebration that seeks to help its young people grow and develop.
The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. Anyone between the ages of 5 and 18 can participate. The event will also serve as a Christmas toy drive.
The club was founded in 2004 by Shawn Ho-Hing, who noticed that some young people from low-income families were floundering; many dropping out of high school and some turning to crime. After research, discussion and brainstorming, she decided that one key underlying issue was a lack of self-esteem.
“We focus on life skills,” Ho-Hing said. “Opportunities are the key to success — and our goal is for every student to stay in school and go to college.”
She and the club’s board members recruited experts in a wide variety of fields as mentors, required parental involvement, formed relationships with area schools and created many activities and events that teach life lessons through hands-on student involvement.
There is also a community service aspect and the Hand-On Mentor Center, which teaches everyday skills such as sewing and money management. All of this is done in an environment of fun, individual focus and high expectations.
For the Winter Jam, Ho-Hing invites dancers, singers, spoken word performers and even young actors with their own skits to participate. For more information on club membership, visit www.talentedteenclub.org.
The Talented Teen Club accepts donations. To see some of what it does with the money, find “Talented Teen Club” on Facebook.
