I'm saving myself info package

I’m Saving Myself Solutions Through Music and Performing Arts

Who is… I’m Saving MySelf?

I’m Saving Myself is a 501 (C)3 public charity. ISM uses the performing arts, particularly music, to encourage students to make positive choices for themselves, despite past and present personal challenges. Since its inception in 1999, I’m Saving Myself provides quality performing arts experiences for youth and young adults using a Youth Development Theory approach. This approach states that simply preventing negative behavior is not sufficient to develop youth to be productive citizens, but that youth also must be taught to strive for positive goals, and develop skills and motivation to succeed.

Through the participation in “I’m Saving Myself “students will learn how to enhance their self-worth with music and writing workshops. This program can be implemented in either the school system, an after school program, or a community event.

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• Social Skills: communication, cooperation, public speaking & responsibility

• Emotional Skills: self-esteem, confidence and a sense of self worth pride in oneself & boundary setting

• Educational Skills: writing, reading, critical thinking, language arts & comprehension

• Life Skills: reasoning, organizational skills, listening & healthful relationships

empowerment

youth

This program helps build:

I’m Saving Myself Our Mission

….. to be a national agent of change that utilizes our Universal language ~ Music and the Arts as a vehicle to embrace, empower, educate and equip our youth with the knowledge to build personal self-esteem and make healthy choices for life-long success.

Our Core Values…

Integrity

that drive our Mission are:

• Understanding the power of honesty • Operating in the realm of truth • Making Healthy choices

Dignity • We promote the dignity, potential and health of people and communities regardless of ethnicity, age, gender, and creed.

• We emphasize shared responsibility Respect • We respect the opinions of others, though we might not agree • We listen to our Partners, Mentors and Students and allow their voices to influence the strategic ends, planning and execution processes of our organization • We relate to indigenous people without condescension • We are motivated by the principles of compassion, love, justice and mercy and we do not tolerate any negative treatment of people for any Capacity • We invest in the growth of leaders, staff and volunteers who influence Building the development of organizations, communities and individuals.

• We pay devoted attention to process (how we do what it is that we do) as well as objectives and results • We build cooperative collaborative relationships with organizations and leaders who promote similar strategic ends.

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What makes I’m Saving MySelf “unique”?

“I’m Saving Myself,” demonstrates that the battlefield between right and wrong starts in the mind. Knowing what is right is right is the first step, but choosing that step is the challenge. We have successfully been able to meet and sometimes exceed our goals to positively influence and convince our young and not so young audience to make healthy choices through the utilization of our impactful and energetic Visual and performing arts curriculum. We communicate to them in a language that they can understand and receive, the choices they make now will determine the outcome of their future.

Why are we so determined?

IN THE UNITED STATES:  1 in 8 teens suffer from depression  6 teenagers commit suicide everyday.  135 teenagers bring guns to school everyday.  437 teenagers are arrested daily for drinking  211 teenagers are arrested daily for drug abuse.  3,288 teens run away from home everyday.  13% of all teens have gambling related problems.  Anorexia nervosa has doubled in the last 20 years.  12 million teenagers are involved in devil worship or witchcraft.  26% of girls in grades 9-12 have been the victim of physical abuse, sexual abuse, or date-forced sex.  85% of sexual assaults, including rape, is committed by someone the victim knows.  13% of all births are to teenage mothers  Over 1,200,000 abortions are performed every year.  30% of all teens are involved in school bullying. Testimony

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Champions of Change:

The Impact of Arts and Learning….. is a newly completed report commissioned by the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. The results of seven varied studies clearly establish that learners can attain higher levels of achievement using the arts as a tool. Learning through the arts can actually help “level the playing field” for our youth from disadvantaged circumstances. Additionally, Howard Gardner’s well accepted theory of multiple intelligences and learning styles proposes that children learn in a variety of ways. Many children do not learn well sitting at a desk and may assimilate information more effectively while singing or moving. Additionally, as detailed in a 1996 report by the Getty Institute, arts education is the most effective way to develop the workforce of the next generation. This workforce must be multi-dimensional and flexible with strong creative, productive and critical thinking skills. Once consider a “frill,” arts education is now seen as integral to the academic process and success.

Research has proven… that Music and the Arts is a unifier for all people and cultures. Music and

the Arts is the bridge across the great divide of differences and indifference, of race, politics, generation, and even gender. Music and art are the universal language that opens the door to knowledge and acceptance. Society is finally beginning to agree. Check it out…

According to the Critical Evidence report: “How the Arts Benefit Student Achievement” commissioned

by The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) and the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) showed that:

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“The art in its many forms—whether as a stand-alone subject or integrated into the school curriculum— is increasingly accepted as an essential part of achieving success in school, work, and life.”

SOURCE: “New Harris Poll Reveals That 93% of Americans Believe That the Arts Are Vital to Providing a Well- Rounded Education,” 83% believe that arts education helps teach children to communicate effectively with adults and peers.

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Our History

I’m Saving Myself (ISM) was birthed in 2001 after the tragic death of a popular high school student who committed suicide when he learned that he had impregnated the coaches’ daughter. Bonita Mitchell, the executive director of ISM and CEO of Thread of Hope Records, had been asked by a high school counselor of the Eau Claire, MI school district if she would be willing to help the students move through their grieving process by presenting the interactive musical performance which she produced and had been performing in the Los Angeles, and Sacramento, CA area for nearly four years before coming back to live in her native state of Michigan. The production introduced a genre of music which highlights social issues that are impacting youth; yet, are not readily discussed by youth. It is also interactive in that the youth performers are able to advocate for healthly lifestyle choices to their peers. It was during one of these school productions entitled, “Celebrate Life and Pursue Your Dreams” that Bonita was made aware of two other youth who were planning to commit suicide. One was a youth working within the production and the other was a youth who attended the performance.

The particular song track that served as the impetus that changed the minds of these youth was actually a song dealing with teen pregnancy prevention entitled, “I’m Saving Myself” which happens to be the organization’s theme song.

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Our Programs Our Curriculum The I’m Saving Myself curriculum addresses out of wedlock pregnancy, STDs, AIDs, and lack of self-esteem among teens. The program promotes abstinenceonly before marriage as the expected social standard for all teens and society.

The key unique and engaging element of the ISM program is music.

The curriculum is divided into 15 sessions which explore different topics related to abstinence. Each one incorporates music as the core component. The music engages the students in ways traditional educational methods cannot, and as a result retention rates are high.

The curriculum promotes skills that nurture the whole person and build selfesteem. ISM teaches that the essence of a person comes from within and explains that when an individual doesn’t feel good about him/herself, that person is more likely to make negative choices, succumb to peer-pressure, and suffer depression. Through music, journaling and life enrichment lessons, the ISM curriculum identifies and enhances the students’ talent and self-confidence as well as builds critical life skills including emotional, social, academic, and cognitive skills. The weekly lessons include self-affirmations, vocabulary words, journaling, and listening and creating music that sends positive and selfaffirming messages about postponing sexual activity until marriage.

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2010 “Cherish Your Life” Youth Empowerment Campaign I’m Saving Myself’s, “Cherish Your Life,” campaign is a hands-on experience of the creative arts for students and young adults who are exceptionally interested in developing and expanding their knowledge and experience with life skills, via the visual and performing arts. We specifically focus in the areas of: Music, Dance, The Spoken Word, Theatre, History, cultural influences, and self-expression through the arts.

Our collaborative partners has embraced the I’m Saving Myself campaign “Cherish Your Life” which will provide communities around the globe with quality arts programming, while at the same time addressing the social ills facing our youth. We will utilize the experience of our collaborative team to ensure that our mission will be met with success.

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Self-evaluation for enhanced Self-esteem and leadership skills Learning about teamwork through teambuilding activities Learning about change management and conflict resolution Learning about innovation and forward-thinking Strengthening communication skills Developing a Personal Action Plan

ISM After School Programs The after school program is a 16-week program, with two meetings per week of 1.5 hours each. Each class session in the “Healthy Body Healthy Mind.” Life Enrichment series will identify and enhance the student’s talent as well as build self esteem, critical thinking, reading, writing and English skills. This will be done through music and writing workshops Each class session involves:

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Daily journal entries Singing Writing songs Building vocabulary Story problems Open microphone sessions Self affirmations “What I could have done differently” discussions

diversity

Students who join our “Cherish Your Life” campaign will enjoy hands-on, interactive experiences designed to instill five key Selfawareness skills: Vision, Ambition, Character, Capacity and Curiosity.

They will also learn the six key leadership skills that great leaders must possess.

Students find their creative voice

through a series of in-class writing and music exercises delivered in a judgmentfree and non-competitive environment. They write about life experiences as they unleash their creativity and consider the abstinence message.

Classes also cover self-esteem, teen pregnancy, alcohol and substance abuse, and suicide.

The Students learn to ask the right questions, set boundaries, build healthy relationships and to recognize their self-worth.

Music Camp

ISM program provides a music camp in partnership with the Hope VI project. The theme of the camp is the origin of music, and participants explore the music genres of jazz, step/ swing, blues, R&B, and rap/hip hop. Seventy youth ages 8-18 met for five weeks at the newly remodeled Virginia Edwards Center in Benton Harbor.

The center has a recording studio so the youth have the opportunity to learn the technical side of music by producing live recordings and through exposure to professionals in the field. The intensive music camp also provided the opportunity for youth to see behind the scenes of the music industry. The activities promote self-discipline because participants began to understand the amount of work, time, and practice it takes to produce records.

Celebrate life

and pursue your dreams The Celebrate Life culmination program occurs at the end of each three-month session. This performance gives students an opportunity for their voices to be heard amongst their peers and the community as a whole. During the classroom sessions, participants create poetry and expressive writings that are put into a music format, and songs are composed to accompany the writings. Upon completion of the 3-month session, a production/show of the music is staged and the youth dance, sing the newly created songs, and participate in dramas that are relative to the music. These productions not only showcase local talent, they provide a means for youth to gain confidence and build self-esteem. The culmination show gives each student the opportunity to perform and express what he or she has learned in the class sessions. This tour travels to other cities and states.

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Our Accomplishments The I’m Saving Myself youth organization has performed throughout the state of Michigan and beyond. Locally, they have taken their message of prevention into schools in Eau Claire, MI; Niles, MI; Benton Harbor, MI; New Buffalo, MI; as well as in Lansing, MI where the organization performed at the state level for Governor Jennifer Granholm’s Inauguration; as well as this past year when ISM received the honor of being chosen to perform for the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus’ Anniversary.

They were the only youth group who performed for the MLBC to receive a proclamation from the State of Michigan. Additionally, ISM was highlighted at the State of Michigan’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Conference in Kalamazoo, MI. The organization has been blessed to travel to other states such as Minnesota and California with their message.

A feature story done by a local television station in Minnesota can be viewed on ISM’s website congratulating ISM for their efforts in the area of prevention. Moreover, the following quote from musical icon Stevie Wonder expresses the impact that ISM has had on the minds and lives of individuals associated with the organization.

Stevie Wonder, Grammy & Oscar Winning Recording Artist says…

“Kids need a place of visualization and the “I’m Saving Myself” program has worked diligently and successfully to teach the meaning of self love. The final product of self love is then reflected and celebrated in the performing arts of

educate

music, dance and drama.”

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This program lives up to its motto in providing solutions and empowering youth to make healthy choices.

ISM has been on the frontline in the battle to turn the tide of the increasing incidence of teen pregnancy in the work that it has done within the State of Michigan and abroad.

ISM collaborated with Workforce Development, The Salvation Army and the Berrien County Health Department in implementing teen pregnancy prevention programming for 60 students enrolled in alternative education in the Benton Harbor School District. ISM was the only program operating out of the Salvation Army in Collaboration with the BCHD’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program (TP3 Program).

ISM received the distinction of having a 100% attendance rate for which ISM received an award.

ISM youth participated in Grammy award winning contemporary gospel singer CeCe Winan’s Purity Ceremony where they sang I’m Saving Myself to an audience of 1500 people.

ISM youth participated in renown televangelist Bishop T.D. Jakes church’s Purity Ceremony where over 2,000 people were in attendance singing the organization’s theme song, “I’m Saving Myself”

ISM Collaborated with the Benton Harbor School Based Clinic with funding from the Kellogg Foundation to implement teen pregnancy prevention programming at the Benton Harbor High School. There were thirty teen advisory students who were trained to serve as peer leaders to advocate for teen pregnancy prevention and making healthy choices twice a week. Kellogg Foundation featured ISM in their newsletter as being one of their successful programs.

• 2006: ISM organized its first Purity Ceremony which featured breakout sessions addressing teen pregnancy prevention, STD education, biblical principles of sex and marriage. The ceremony culminated in parents of youth placing purity rings on fingers of over 100 boys and girls. The collaborating partners included the Ministerial Alliance who brought to the event eleven churches of varying denominations; the BCHD’s School Based Clinic, and C.A.R.E.S. • 2004-2009: ISM contracted with the Citizens for Progressive Change in Benton Harbor, MI who were funded by the State of Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services provided programming to both of the Benton Harbor middle schools in the Leaders of Tomorrow (L.O.T.) after school program which specifically addressed preventing teen pregnancy through music and the performing arts. Planned Parenthood of Southwest Michigan provided STD education.

• 2005-Present: ISM contracted with Benton Harbor’s Citizens for Progressive Change and First Chance to continue teen pregnancy programming under the S.O.A.R. 21st Century after school program.

• 2008-2010: ISM organizes an annual production utilizing approximately 80 youth performers on stage who advocate to a peer audience of 1400 students from Benton Harbor’s area schools for the National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Day which occurs in May at Lake Michigan College’s Mendell Center Main Stage.

• 2010: ISM received funding from the city of Benton Harbor to provide a music camp twice a week during school hours at the Fairplain West Learning Academy. A portion of the programming included teen pregnancy prevention.

• 2010: ISM is an active member of the Benton Harbor Student Health Center’s (formerly the Benton Harbor School Based Clinic) Community Advisory Committee now operated by InterCare Community Health Network. ISM was asked to participate in a general assembly to launch “Making Proud Choices” the evidenced based curriculum for teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases prevention. The Community AIDS Resource Education Service (C.A.R.E.S) partnered with us in this endeavor.

ISM has been foremost, committed and actively engaged in the fight for preventing teen pregnancy for nearly a decade.

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How will the I’m Saving Myself programs benefit the city?

I’m Saving Myself, also helps student’s families. Families can be brought closer together through the sharing of musical styles and tastes. Generation gaps are bridged when a student can discuss jazz with a grandfather or swing music with his mother. Not to mention the confidence that comes from knowing your child is getting a well-rounded arts education.

I’m Saving Myself also helps the community. I’m Saving Myself enables members of the community to volunteer their time and talents to a worthwhile education experience for children. Not everyone can teach an American history class, but nearly everyone can share in class about their favorite musician, share their record collection, and oversee a dance or music class. I’m Saving Myself of course offers the community a chance to lend financial support to arts funding where it so sorely needed.

School Districts will benefit from I’m Saving Myself. Cuts in funding for arts programs have not only hit at the student/teacher level, but also in curriculum and program development. As school districts begin to re-introduce arts back into the schools, I’m Saving Myself is a comprehensive, pre-packaged, if you will, program that can be implemented quickly without the delay of formation committee’s to develop a curriculum.

I’m Saving Myself, helps suppliers of goods and services. By lending or discounting merchandise to I’m Saving Myself student programs, merchants are involved in creating customers for years. If children develop a love for music, they will become the customers of the future for musical instruments, sheet music, tapes and CD’s. Merchants are well served in contributing to I’m Saving Myself from a long-term customer loyalty perspective.

I’m Saving Myself, helps the general public by turning out a more wellrounded, appreciative student into society.

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Scope of our Work for Program Implementation •

With the help of each individual community, our organization will complete a Community Profile, a series of assessments designed to determine the current strengths and challenges of the presenting organization.

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This profile will also allow us to design educational programs, via the arts, that are most relevant to your community.

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Upon completion of the profile, our organization will be prepared for implementation.

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We will establish benchmarks for success in the area of our arts program for your area.

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When we arrive we will conduct a pre-production meeting, tour of the facility for training team.

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We will also meet with your team - area teachers and community members, providing them with information about our company and plan.

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These community members will then begin a public speaking campaign designed to increase community awareness, interest and education about the upcoming performance.

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All the activities are highly interactive providing students with an opportunity to participate as well as observe.

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This arts program will culminate with public performance to highlight the hard work of the students.

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The Writers Guild Foundation The Mission of the Writers Guild Foundation is to serve the community of writers and for writers to serve the community. Through the events outreach programs, library and achieve we strive to education and inspired writers as well as to promote and preserve excellence in writing. We are associated with, but independent of, the Writers Guild of America West.

The Writers Guild Foundation’s Screenwriting Workshops are designed to increase high school students’ fundamental written and visual literacy skills through the arts of screenwriting. We target public high schools in Los Angeles area that perform in the lowest percentile for English Language Arts.

WGA Workshops Leaders, professional writers and members f the Writers Guild of America, first deconstruct popular film and television shows to teach the basic process of writing for film and television; and then guide students through the process of writing their own short screenplays.

At the end of a two-week workshop, each student completes at least a three-scene screenplay (roughly 7-10 pages), based on stories drawn from their own lives. On the final day of the workshops, volunteer actors from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) perform select students’ scripts before the entire class and possibly the larger student body.

ArtsEcation ArtsEcation Corporation (formally Musication) was formed by prominent musician, Stevie Wonder and professional businesswomen, Angela McAfee, to address the critical state of music and arts education in the public schools, according to two essential principals. The first is found in the African proverb that “it takes a village to raise a child,” where the concept of the “village” includes parents and extended family members, the principal and teacher(s) of the child, and the administrators,

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elected officials and the community who guide the operations of the child’s school. The second guiding principal is: “Every student in the nation should have an education in the arts.”

A fundamental objective of ArtsEcation is to present the significant benefits of music education to school officials, teachers at all levels, and the general public, and to solicit their support of a full, balanced, and sequential course of music instruction taught by qualified teachers and specialists. ArtsEcation plans to provide a curriculum for our students that include music and arts education grouped into four categories: A) Success in Society: The reason that every child should have an education in music and the arts is that music is an essential part of the fabric of our society. The intrinsic value of music is widely recognized— indeed, every human culture uses music to carry forward its ideas and ideals.

B) Success in School: Success in society is largely predicated on success in school. The study of music can help a child become a better student. Skills learned through the discipline of music transfer to improved study skills, communication skills, and cognitive skills useful in every part of a student’s curriculum.

C) Success in Developing Intelligence: Success in school and in society depends on an array of abilities. Some measures of a child’s intelligence are increased with music instruction. A combination of tightly-controlled behavioral studies and groundbreaking neurological research shows how music study can actively contribute to brain development.

D) Success in Life: We want our children to achieve success in school, in employment, and in society, but we also want our children to experience “success” on a broader scale. Participation in music and the Arts, often based on a grounding in music education during formative school years, brings countless benefits throughout life.

These benefits may be psychological or spiritual, and they may be physical as well.

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Hub-City Arts Thank you for your interest in Hub City Arts Collective. Hub City Arts was formed over 15 years ago with two goals: First, to provide high quality artistic performances in schools across the United States. Secondly; to create material that is relevant and teaches students about their history and culture. The performers of Hub City Arts Collective are young professionals who have been featured in Film, Television, and Stage. Hub City Arts productions have been seen on Fox, ABC, and NBC Television stations. Dancers have performed on Broadway, with A-list entertainers (Beyonce, Britney Spears), and in such television shows as “America’s Best Dance Crew.” Our performers are classically trained and have the added advantage of haling from “Inner City Communities”. All performers are graduates of colleges and/or professional schools.

Hub City Arts productions have been commission by diverse groups and school districts across the country such as: California State Legislature, National Association of Black School, Educators, Governor of California- Pete Wilson, State of Nevada, State of Illinois, Stanford University, California State University, Long Beach, University of California, Santa Cruz, University of California, San Diego, Reno, Atlanta, New Orleans, Sacramento, Chicago, Walton Counties, and the Los Angeles, Compton, and the Lynwood School district.

Flipside Entertainment Sean Pennington is the CEO and Founder of the New York/New Jersey based Flipside entertainment Agency - a full service public relations, publicity, artist management and lifestyle marketing agency. Pennington established Flipside entertainment over six years ago. Since that time, he has sought to propel gospel artists to heights equivalent to their secular counterparts. The Flipside entertainment Agency has created a highly specialized niche in the industry, proudly counting gospel greats such as Hezekiah Walker, Byron Cage, Kim Burrell, Martha Munizzi, Natalie Wilson, Lashun Pace, Anointed, Dave Holister, William Murphy, Donald Lawrence, Ted and Sheri, The Godsons, Israel and New Breed and BET’s “Lift Every Voice” host Gerard Henry among its roste,r to name a few.

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JBC Hope for Humanity The specific purpose of this corporation is to provide a myriad of services to assist individuals to overcome barriers to self-reliance and enhance their abilities to become physically, economically, and socially self sufficient. We accomplish this by providing crisis intervention, substance abuse counseling, HIV/AIDS support and training, educational resources, emergency assistance, and spiritual guidance.

Currently the board has an outreach ministry that assists homeless individuals suffering from substance abuse and HIV/AIDS living on the streets of New Jersey, under freeways and bridges. We understand that there are multiple challenges in the lives of those that are in distressed situations. Many individuals struggling with substance abuse; HIV/AIDS and homelessness lack the supportive services and life surviving essentials. We support these individuals by delivering warm clothing, blankets, food, and toiletry items, and sharing hope and prayer with them. Additionally, we have begun weekly informal meetings for individuals in a peer support group format. Universally, the individuals who attend the support group stated that they suffered alone; confronted by many difficult issues such as domestic violence, homelessness, drug dependency/ addiction, death, and grief.

For many of the individuals, this small peer group provided critical support as a place of hope and help.

The George Washington University The Mission of the renowned George Washington University is to deliver an outstanding education, advance knowledge, and provides practical experience in diverse organizational settings, leveraging the unique advantages of our location in the Washington, D.C., area, in order to enhance the capacities of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the business community to be productive and principled members of society Throughout its history, GW has attracted some of the nation’s most outstanding leaders from academia, government, and the business world. The George Washington University is the second largest employer in Washington D.C. and was born in a spirit of innovation.

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The Washington Professional Institute (WPI) The Washington Institute for Cross-Cultural Communication offers innovative enhancement programs through customized professional empowerment training. With our extensive global partners, we offer expertise and training from a national and international perspective. Our personalized designed programs afford us the ability to meet the needs of our clients by assisting in their understanding of international cultures, languages and traditions in order to reach their business or personal goals successfully. Our specific focus is to provide leading multinational and international Event Marketers, Managers, Tourism Destination Managers, Businesses, Corporations, Developers and Individuals with the opportunity to gain training and or earn a Professional Certificate in the areas of: Protocol and International Business Etiquette, `Event Marketing and Protocol, as well as, Hospitality Management and Customer Service. We also provide event management services and group and individual Entrepreneurial, Etiquette, Protocol, Cross-Cultural, Workshops, Consultation and Leadership Training. Overall, we stimulate the desire within our clients by assisting them in igniting their passion to reach people successfully.

Art

As you can see, our learning programs helps students to access their creativity and life experiences through all forms of the creative arts. First and foremost, children and young adults are taught to believe in themselves. By teaching children to believe that they can succeed, they develop a love for life-long learning -- resulting in responsible, educated, and self-sufficient adults.

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Major Jack L. Holloway, The Salvation Army says…

“The Benton Harbor Salvation Army has had the privilege of being associated with the Thread of Hope, “I’m Saving Myself” program for a number of months. The impact can easily be seen through positive changes in behavior, improvement in grades, a marked decrease in risky behavior through its promotion of abstinence and in even less tangible ways, such as treating other youth and adults with “common courtesy.”. Some of the children have gained a new confidence in themselves. Others have attempted things they would have thought impossible only weeks ago such as singing on stage in public.”

Student Testimonials Chris Karn, Student – Eau Claire High School, Michigan “Three Years ago, I was thinking about committing suicide. I had drawn away from my family and friends and took no big interest in sports. The main activity that I was involved in was sitting in my room and reading books. There is not only a blue and calm ocean in every woman’s heart but there is one in a guy’s as well.

My heart turned black and stormy and I began to plot my own death. I had the date, death notice and the time I was going to kill myself.

I attended the Celebrate Life Pursue Your Dreams show at my school and heard Katie Giguere sing a song called, “I’m Saving Myself,” it was a song about virginity and keeping it but I adapted it to fit my life situation. That song hit my heart like a bolt of lightening and I recommitted myself to living a new life. I am now involved in so many extra curricular activities such as Yellow Ribbon and the Boy Scouts.

I have also had the privilege to work on the “Celebrate Life” productions. If it were not for the people who founded this program like Bonita McAfee Mitchell, I would not be her today to tell you all about my story.”

Parents: If your child is losing interests in family, friends and school, keep the lines of communication open and when they want to talk, listen. Dennis Waitley once said,’The greatest achievements are those who benefit others.’’

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Katie Giguere Dear Friend: Thank you so much for considering my new single “Bringin’ Me Hope”.

When I first heard this song, I immediately started to cry. Not only did I love the message and the melody, it touched my heart so deeply because it truly reflects how I feel about God. I consider it a sort of theme song for my life because I know all too well how hopelessness can destroy a person.

As a young teen, I struggled to find hope for my dreams of singing because I had grown up overweight. It was partly the teasing that got to me, and partly my fear that nobody would really accept me as a singer. Entertainers tend to be “perfect” in appearance, so I automatically assumed l could never be worthy enough to live my dream, even if I was doing it for God. i had a very poor self image, low self-esteem, and felt hopeless. But then a miracle happened...

When I was 15, I experienced a life-changing revelation of hope through an incredible woman from, ironically, a company called Thread of Hope Music. Bonita Mitchell didn’t just help me to see my true value; she brought me to Los Angeles to record my first demo, and then walked me over to meet Stevie Wonder to get his feedback on my song!! He was so kind to me and truly encouraged me to use my God given talent and pursue my dreams. He couldn’t see what I looked like, all that mattered to him was my heart. i knew then that God could use me for His work if I was willing to just take a chance and trust Him. Soon I was asked joined the Thread of Hope/I’m Saving Myself Program, traveling around singing and talking to kids. My job was to help raise their self-esteem so they could see themselves as God sees them and ultimately, make good choices for their future. I saw lives change, (including my own), and I knew this was my true destiny. Now, four years later, my very own CD has been released. What I once thought impossible is today a reality. Our God is awesome!

Thanks again for considering my song. My prayer is that God will use “Bringin’ Me Hope” to do what the title says, bring hope to the listener’s life and give wings to their dreams.

Love, Katie

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www.katiegiguere.com We look forward to working with you soon.

 John Collard, 8th Grade Student My parents were having problems and eventually got a divorce. Writing music was a way to get away from the problems in my life, and write what I thought or felt on paper. Thread Of Hope has given me more confidence in my music and in myself. It has given me something to stay in school for. “

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I’m Saving Myself Solutions Through Music and Performing Arts 233 Michigan Street, B building Benton Harbor, Michigan 49022 Phone: 269.934.7764 Fax: 269.461.6417 Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/366945?m=3f1cca43 Twitter: http://twitter.com/ImSavingMyself Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2399982&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr www.imsavingmyself.org