T.E.A.M. is proud to host “Be A Voice, Not an Echo,” a youth leadership workshop focused on using the poetry slam art form to let their voice be heard. The workshop will take place 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, March 19, at Lake Michigan College.

The workshop was created in response to a local needs assessment, which asked “what are some of the crucial issues facing young people today?” Teens across Berrien County put pressure to achieve and dealing with anxiety at the top of the list.

Youth indicated they wanted more leadership skills training and motivational type of events to help them handle the pressure they face when surveyed in a needs assessment conducted by T.E.A.M. (Teens Exhibiting Able Minds), a youth advisory committee for Berrien Community Foundation.

“It is clear that high school students in Berrien County are struggling with some very tough issues,” said Nick Moen, a St. Joseph High School student and T.E.A.M. co-chair. “We wanted to host an event that would help us all learn how to speak up, talk about the issues that we have, and lead.”

T.E.A.M. engaged spoken word artists and motivational speakers, Kinetic Affect to lead the workshop that will teach area youth how to use their voice to express concerns and lead in their community. These nationally-renowned, award winning spoken word artists describe what they do as “poetry slam with more heart and social conscious.”

They have sought to make a career out of inspiring people to follow their passions and speak up for what they believe in. Gabriel Giron, a survivor of cancer and former soldier in the U.S. Army, and Kirk Latimer, a survivor of his own destructive past, and former high school English teacher, combine their voices to seek to demonstrate the art to youth.

T.E.A.M. is the youth advisory committee for the Berrien Community Foundation.  It is made up of high school students from throughout Berrien County.  The mission of T.E.A.M. is to empower youth to develop lifelong values of generosity, leadership and volunteerism.

The workshop is free for Berrien County High School students. Seating is limited to 50 students and dinner will be provided.  To register, go to berriencommunity.org/beavoice. For more information contact Susan Matheny at susanmatheny@berriencommunity.org