Today, five students from the RI HOPE, a Chapter of the Institute for Cultural Communicators (ICC), are traveling to Nashville Tennessee to compete in the “Speak Freedom” International Championship and to attend the ICC International Convention (iCON). Andrew Clarkin of Coventry, Isabel Shippee of West Greenwich and Natalia DeChristofaro of Greenville will be competing in Persuasive Speaking, Round Table (which is a consensus building exercise) and Radio Broadcasting respectively.
In February, they each received the honor of an invitation at the ICC Forensics Society Tournament, which was held at Western Coventry Elementary School. Samuel Shippee of West Greenwich and Olivia Dailey of Warwick will join their fellow chapter members as Apprentices or “Leaders in Training”.
Jan Lonngren and Cindy Clarkin started the ICC chapter in August of 2013 with nine high school students meeting weekly at the Louttit Library. Since then RI HOPE has grown each year with over 30 students this past school year. Over one hundred home school students ages 6-18 have been empowered and transformed by joining ICC and RI HOPE. The mission of ICC is to empower young communicators to influence today’s culture. At chapter meetings, student encourage one another and receive coaching to help improve public speaking skills and gain confidence and poise. Each junior high school student progresses through three phases of the Young Speakers Guild Curriculum becoming a “Student Leader” when they turn 14. They each develop a portfolio which includes speeches, photographs and reflection of their experiences speaking at various venues and platforms.
One of the core values of ICC is community. Throughout the year RI HOPE members plan several community presentations in nursing homes, assisted living, daycare centers, churches, civic organizations and libraries. Every spring, the student leaders organize “Story Time” at the Louttit Library. These high school students work closely with the children’s librarian to create crafts, lead songs and games in addition to directing a play based on a children’s book. This summer they hope to take their latest chapter presentation, “The Day the Crayons Quit” to HASBRO Hospital “Camp Dotty”. Plans are also underway for a patriotic presentation at the RI Veteran’s Home in Bristol in October.
On Wednesday, June 28th, the Coventry/West Greenwich Elks Lodge presented a check for $2500.00 to the RI HOPE Scholarship Fund to help defer travel expenses to iCON and to underwrite the 2018 ICCFS Tournament (date and location TBD). Other local sponsors include CICUSA, Browning and Associates, Dr. Eric George DMD, Dr. Charles Cronin DO, Pawtuxet Valley Rotary Club, Faith Fellowship Community Church and the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship. Any business interested in investing in the lives of these future leaders are invited to give a tax-deductible donation on the RI HOPE web page (http://rhodeislandhope01.wixsite.com/home).