Welcome to SpeakWell
Creating a Better World ..One Voice at a Time
HIGHLIGHTS
“When working with students, educators seek to impart skills and knowledge. The fascinating thing about the SpeakWell program is that it allows students to see immediate growth and gain skills that positively impact them in the long term!”
-Phil Lazzaro, Head of the Upper School, Harvey School
SpeakWell Rocks (SpeakWell) began as a public speaking class with a group of nine middle school students at St. Joseph’s School – Yorkville, in NYC. The original class became the first in the country from a K-8 school to deliver TEDx talks. To date, SpeakWell has served more than 1,000 students and schools across the country through its after-school programs and camps.
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The SpeakWell Rocks name came from the students.
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The SpeakWell Rocks curriculum™ was developed in collaboration with business leaders, educators, psychologists, and entrepreneurs to build life, communication, and leadership skills. In addition to skills-building, the program features notable business leaders, entrepreneurs, professional athletes, actors, and journalists as guest speakers, and provides unique opportunities for students to demonstrate speaking skills. In addition to delivering TEDx talks, 33 SpeakWell secondary school students have participated in panel discussions with executives from international companies including UBS, BT, Amalgamated Bank, and Meta. By request, SpeakWell expanded the program to the higher education and corporate arenas.
SpeakWell is an Amber Grant award-winner for “building students’ well-being,” and recipient of several awards including “Best Community-Led Business,” “Top 30 Inspiring Women to Watch,” and named as a finalist for the Wharton-QS Global Reimagine Education Award for “Nurturing Employability.”
“SpeakWell should be a staple in all schools. I can only imagine the impact on future generations because the impact on my children has been extraordinary."
-Annette Cremin, SpeakWell Parent
IMPACT
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SpeakWell students became the first in the country from a K-8 school to deliver TEDx talks.
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SpeakWell 7th-grade students far exceeded 12th-grade speaking and listening standards.
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SpeakWell students are the only students in the country to have spoken on panels with peers and senior executives from international companies, including UBS, BT, Meta & Amalgamated Bank
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SpeakWell students became the first from a K-8 school to write and publish national articles