##VIDEO ID:https://indianapolis.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=91&clip_id=24534## Well, good evening, everyone. It is. 5 c would turn. 5.31 Today is FEBRUARY 4th, 2025 we are in the public assembly room of the city county building. And we're here for the education Committee of the Indianapolis City County Council. Education Committee will meet tonight. I want to allow my colleagues on this committee to introduce themselves and the districts that they represent starting with my bottom left. Thank you. MISTER Chair Brian Mowery District. 25. Thank you, MR. Chaired Erica Hill District. 23. Thank you. CHAIRMAN Jessica McCormack District 16. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN Dan Boots, District 3, Lawrence, Washington townships, thank you to all my colleagues and I am keep Gray is our chair. This committee. I want to say good evening to everyone. I do have a few prepared words. I would love to share with you first. I want to start by welcoming Tevin starter just simply doing incredible work in our community to help people become authors. Tevin, we're excited to learn more about your mission and your what you're doing in our community storytelling and literacy go hand in hand and your efforts to empower people to share their voice is aligned perfectly with the goals of strengthening education in Indianapolis. As the Education Committee of the Indianapolis City Council. We remain deeply committed to making a lasting impact in our schools. And our communities. We value input from educators, students and leaders liked heaven because we know that collaboration is key, too, to the success that we seek. Our ambitious goals include ensuring every student achieves grade level reading proficiency by 2030, and fostering an environment where educators and students alike have the resources they need to succeed. But the work that we do on this council. It doesn't end with us. Of course, our education community. But this work belongs to all of us. So I encourage everyone listening. Everyone attending today and everyone virtually. To find a way to play a role in education. Whether mentor volunteering or simply reading that to a child, your engagement makes a difference. That's where we should be spending our time. With read across America protein. Now is the perfect time to get involved and inspire a love for reading and our youth. Again. Thank you, Tevin for joining us. We look forward to more conversations like this as we work together to create a brighter future for education. In Indianapolis have and the floor is yours. Thank you. Thank Humble for this amazing opportunity. We're going get right to lose. So and then my program is called Le Stands for Literacy, Entrepreneurship and James, I feel like literacy. We want to improve in our community and we do this by going to schools working with kids and then primarily through the entrepreneurship piece on the kids, write the books, their pay for their books via Amazon. We 3 kids go number one in the world. In books right here from Indianapolis. One of them will be presented today. So that's the part of dreams that kids as young as 4 years old in the program are writing books we have adults up in their 70's that are writing books. So my vision is to increase the literacy rate in our community. And I just felt. There's no better way to create excitement provide kids the tools to create their own books. I feel that kids should be paid for their work. And I see to turn kids into entrepreneurs who create their own series of books. So we've at turn 300 children in Indianapolis into ot this Publix off this and we work us. We'll schools throughout ips schools, charter schools, House of schools. We work with kids all over a big thing has been a sports teams. A lot of sports teams have come together. Rowe books. And then we have dozens of adults in the program as well as kind of the old church concept of each one reach war. If we increase the literacy rate, most adults, it'll naturally increase the literacy rate. Most our children. And then we've also celebrities get behind. So I got a chance to write a book for Dave Letterman player on the Pacers, tj McConnell, player on the coast Odeyingbo one of the coast players actually came to the school to read the book that I wrote to the kids. So that truly encourages the kids like, okay. We got coast players that are just excited about reading as our teachers are. And so the first time colloquy have an 11 year-old author in the building. So Coy is best. So she's going to talk about her book as well as literacy. Good morning. I mean, get up. Good evening, everyone. My name is Clay Spencer. I. Hat the pressures to with of attending Temperance first psp School class at Parkside Elementary School. The name of my book come from. What inspired me was we were writing a book. I found out that memo had cancer. So I was like, okay, so I can put it in book and then also my parents are entrepreneuers. So. I wanted to advocate the entrepreneur me. Good evening. I am Alicia Time the heart behind craft connections where creativity meet accessibility. My journey as an autism advocate and entrepreneur has shown me that literacy is more than just reading works. It's about unlocking opportunities. Fostering confidence and giving every individual the tools express themselves for individuals with disabilities. Literacy can be a gateway to success as traditional learning methods do not always meet their needs. Through storytelling and interactive experiences. I make literacy, engaging and accessible for a new ride. Evers learners. And those who thrive would not traditional approaches in my line of literacy, it is my goal to create space where children and young adults can connect with language creatively and inclusively. I don't just I didn't just write a book. I'm building Confidence, communication and connection between New Divergent and typical communities. I am bridging the gap by working with schools, organizations and families to ensure that literacy. It's accessible, enjoyable, and empowering for all. When we make learning adaptable, we make success is possible. Thank you. Good afternoon. My name is Lindsey Burrow and I wrote a book called The Bully. I Have My own business called Landon. It and it started in middle school with me and my friends and we love it. A lot of things and love to write and draw in all those things together. And so we decided to share that with all the people at our school. And we got paid by students and teachers and all of that to draw and write for them. I wanted to talk about reading literacy because I feel it's very important for young age. It is the foundation of all other academic knowledge and skills. And I feel as though people and kids who have been to a private with all these reading letters, seas deprived of important skills since covid. I feel as though that people of my age and younger have not been able to have real reading literacy skills that they should be. And I feel as though this. This place has been able to help with that. My book, the bill, the bully is about dealing with. Mostly black. But also ratios with bullying and middle school and high school. And I want to talk about how bullying is very important. Hi, everyone. My name is McKay live. But I go by Rice. I am a local tutor of elite scholar tutoring where forward in a way you can have extraordinary. I also produce MISS Rice is just one in to Ivins. Class are actually had the chance to be the first adult class. So I was able to connect with my students on a deeper level because look nice as a book. But the not only am I the author, but also in the book in beginning to see black characters and then also relay double characters because we also go online, find ventures in the school out of the school. But even more I've been able to use the techniques they has taught us to chance for them specifically into mine. Sat prep within our high schools here in Indy. And then within my tutoring just recently, I had one of my students from a 7 page book that I MAY through the tools show does include improve her fluency and heard the coding skills. She's a first grader and we've only been together for a total of 3 sessions. And I expected incision seeks. So just by, you know, engaging her in find pictures. Short words. I've been able to create a safe space for her to learn and then I've also seen it with, like I said, high school students inadvertently Missouri says, although she knows she's talking about. Let's listen to her or let's even inquire about how to become a lot. There. And recently, Tevin just switch to one of my school. So that such a good pair lived for them to be able to see like, oh, someone is coming to me for the literacy skills and I'll have to go looking for them. Thank you for that. Good evening, everyone. My name is Cara Banks on the starting junior point guard Crispus Attucks High School. My teammates and I were honored to be the first girls basketball team to write her own books. I am the author of the book halfway there. My book is about my journey throughout playing basketball and high overcome many obstacles over the years. The goal of my book is inspire young girls around the world that no matter what happens, always stay true to yourself and your goals. There was a point in time where I had people telling me I wouldn't make it in that some of the James I had wouldn't come true. Well, fast forward to this year, I currently have 50 plus scholarship offers for basketball, including Yale, Harvard, Columbia Entrances. I am blessed to have this opportunity take my talents to the next level and continue to detain a great education. I hope that my book encourages young girls to keep going in to uplift those that struggle to continue to push obstacles and that there's adversity. Good afternoon, everyone. I'm currently more a student athlete Arsenal Tech. 4.3 gpa and a plea basketball and football today. I want to talk about something. Thank thank you. Today I want to talk about something that affects almost every young person pressure, whether it's pressure to succeed academically, to fit socially or to meet expectations set by family society. It can feel overwhelming. Young people today constantly told to be the best to get perfect grades to excel in sports. Be over 2 years and extracurriculars to plan for a future seems more uncertain than ever. Social media adds another layer where comparison makes it seem like everyone else has their life figured out the pressure to live up to unrealistic standards can lead to stress, anxiety and even burn out. But the truth is no one has it all figured out and that's okay. It's important to recognize the struggling doesn't mean failing. It means growing. We need to create environments where young people feel safe to express their fears and ask for help schools, families and community should encourage open conversations about mental health and well-being. To my fellow young people. You are in a fish. You are. It's okay to take a break to make mistakes in not have all the answers. Pressure MAY be a part of life petition. Never define your Keep pushing forward. But remember, you don't have to carry the weight of the world Thank you. So we're extremely thankful for the opportunity to present. And I a lot of humble kid. So landed like a said. He went number one on Amazon best seller and the whole world right here in Indianapolis. MISS Banks to Matthew Wright as he actually broke Oscar Robertson's single game scoring record. She score 63 points in one game this season. And on top of that, she has offers from every Ivy League school. My currently. So he just accepted an offer to Howard University. This business is getting their season 11. So ccc got something is coming. So is a an amazing program. Amazing individuals like this, Thomas having child with a disability and being able to be advocate for not only her child, but for kids around the city. A state and MISS Rice minutes older helping kids every day. So we're just thankful for the opportunity where only a few months is this program already got through and just some kids. So our goal is to get thousands of kids, Indianapolis and tournaments altars and it's in a vase learn. I feel like kids again pay for their work. They're a lot more interested in doing. Thank Thank you so much. Please give it up for lead. Really appreciate your presentation. And congratulations to each and every one of you that presented tonight and all the other authors that you created. I want to give my colleagues and opportunity. Should they desire to ask questions? Think, Kevin, they'll want to ask questions. Thank you, counselor. Thank I just want to say congratulations to everyone. I echo CHAIRMAN's comments. A blown away. I think you thinking outside of the box in a unique way to address something and you made it fun for everyone and you involved other things. And I think that holistic approach, our success, it's so important. And so I just applaud you on this idea and working through it would love to support. Thank you. Thank you, MR. Couple quick questions. One. So I pulled up your Instagram, but how does how did somebody participate in this to go to the schools you just from the classes? So go on the website is Curry would leave dot So every Woodley dot com is the website and essentially it started in the community center is a Douglas part. We will do weekly sessions for free for kids and then throughout the course of the school year, it was easier to partner with schools and come schools and work with school. So essentially, if anyone goes to agree with Lida thing gets us one great. Thank you. This is just more of a common eye pulled up a couple books for ms Thomas The Your your book looks amazing. I already have my Amazon shopping cart and I would have hit the order button except I don't have enough in there to get free shipping inside and I don't have it was So I go shopping. But can you hang out? I want to I want to ask you something afterward. Not you too, but I MISS I MISS Thomas. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN thank you, Kevin, for the presentation regulation. So he's standing being a copyright attorney and jealous of all these potential clients out there and book writers authors of future stars. Just a couple logistical questions. Do you have target age that you're kind hearing or in your programs that we don't want limit any a's. But the 3rd grade is they tend need the most help. Right now, with the covid they wear front of tv screens and computers and laptops. So that's kind of the a's that we work with. Like I said, we work with kids as young as 4 all the way up 18 or adults. Sure. You try to catch a 3rd graders before they take the I-learn 3rd grade test. Yes, there's been a couple schools that had as well, Brooke side of the mission, specifically. They had us come in and do that prior and Stanley right now as before they're taking the it's like the eye right yeah. That's coming in working. All right. Great Finally How are you funded? So some individual contracts with some schools, but everything else means he's going your sweat equity. Definitely. Yeah. This is just the joy of seeing kids go number one on and fulfill their James. This is all about these kids. Wonderful will keep up. The great were. Thank you. I can't really think of anything else that would. Create a joy of reading this kind of relay double reading. That's something that you've created. I think that that's really why I'm so excited about what you're doing. You know, I in my younger days I had an opportunity to grade tests over at the McGraw Hill on Michigan Road. And I did the writing and I learned how important it being descriptive in these books were. And I and I just I just love to share that with all of the students that I re with, as I let off, we're coming up on read across America. Want to encourage everyone to to do things like what heaven is doing, which is being an impact player in education. I'm super excited. I do want to do a quick shameless plug. David Letterman s a broad ripple guy, you know, and district nice. I saw that your sink off a school of that's over in my community. But heaven, I really don't know if you had a chance brag yourself and tell us a little bit more about yourself because I know you are, but I'm not sure if everyone does. So. You can tell us a little bit about some of the things that you've done yourself. I want to keep it about the kids with new Year with it started off with the music. So I've done theme songs for hundreds of colleges across America and then the game. So for the Colts Monday night Football commercial All-Star commercial with the That official things off for the Indiana fever. When I was in high school. So having a my cousin one season, 2 American Idol. So watching him, it kind of made me want to using. And I'm just kind of that transition stays because I don't want to be like 4 years old going up to schools, rapid. So I want to create something cool. Just interact with kids. And then that's when the book think and law. And you did just that. So thank you very much. Are there any other questions for my colleagues on the committee? Great, Counselor. Thank If it's okay that it is there for individuals who might want to support your organization like a not-for-profit or anything where folks could reach out to offer support and join a long and. Your endeavor still in the process of setting that up because I just did it up the or so. Yeah, I definitely want to set that up so people can support. Wonderful. Thank you. And that's where it starts just of the goodness of your heart. Thank you for what you do for our community. Thank you for all those authors that you've created and to the village that have contributed to the success of these young people. Thank you all. There are no other comments or questions from my colleagues on the committee. I will take a motion to adjourn