The Westmoor Club is teaching confidence and a sense of humor through its “Stand Up and Learn” program.
At The Westmoor Club in Nantucket, Mass., developing programs for children is no laughing matter.
In 2013, the club partnered with the Nantucket Comedy Festival to offer the “Stand Up and Learn” program to members, reports General Manager J. Brent Tartamella.
“Last year was the first year that we partnered with the festival to offer this program to our members,” Tartamella says. “The program runs for a week and the kids learn how to speak in public, and they get to perform comedy routines.”
The Goal: Engage youth at The Westmoor Club in a program that helps to improve their creative writing, communication and critical-thinking skills, and builds their confidence. The Plan: Partner with the Nantucket Comedy Festival to offer Stand Up and Learn, an educational, comedy-based program. The Payoff: A new program keeps younger members engaged in club activities at a time when going to the club can be seen as “not cool any more.” |
Comedian Kevin Flynn is the founder of the Nantucket Comedy Festival, which offers the program. “This isn’t just about comedy,” Flynn notes. “It’s about helping kids tap into their creativity and gain self-confidence.”
Stand Up and Learn is an educational program comprised of a series of lessons using video and interactive worksheets to engage students in creative writing, communication and critical thinking, as well as team and confidence building.
In 2013, more than 80 children participated in Stand Up and Learn through the festival, including several children from Westmoor.
“Westmoor’s children presented their comedy routines during a special presentation at the club,” Tartamella says. “During the festival, they got to perform at the Dreamland Film and Performing Arts Center.”
There is no guarantee participants in the program may earn the opportunity to perform on the festival’s main stage (which will be held July 16-19), notes Joshua Gray, Westmoor’s Communications Administrator. “Participants are asked on an individual basis after the program is completed,” he explains.
Still, Tartamella says, the program has helped to keep children interested in the club and its activities. “It engages kids at an age when going to club isn’t ‘cool’ any more,” he says. “Stand Up and Learn is another family-friendly offering that helps to attract younger children to the club.”
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