jackie s. ladapo –
providing a bridge for change
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photo by steed media service
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Founder and Executive Board Member, The Bridge Into The 21st Century, Inc.
Once Jackie S. Ladapo discovered that thousands of students in the
Dallas area didn’t have a venue to express themselves artistically, she
used her expertise to create The Bridge Into The 21st Century, Inc.
mentoring program. The program, which is available to students ages
9-18, has since become a staple for change in the city of Dallas.
“Our program has been successful because we’ve taken a simplistic
approach to reaching kids,” Ladapo says. “We use performance arts to
allow them to get their point across. They create poems, plays and
dance routines for self-expression.”
The program also teaches students diversity and leadership skills. Many
of the students tend to progress socially after participating. “This
program has allowed kids to learn more about themselves and has taught
them how to be self-confident,” she says. “We’ve observed that kids who
were negative when they first began, are now more positive. They have
to follow the rules and they understand that there are consequences
when they don’t behave themselves.”
Ladapo believes that the students will receive long-term benefits.
“We’ve taken kids to a level where they can learn about life and
interact with others before they get to the workplace,” she says. “Our
program will have a huge effect.”- amir shaw
