As promised, here’s another team member’s response to our question, “What small steps are we taking to express ourselves at home?”  Hello! I’m AnnMarie, Founder of The Practice Space. You have no idea how much I miss teaching our students, it’s like there’s this piece of myself that has nowhere else to go. To keep …

Staying Connected: Songs Keep My Spirits Up Read More »

These past couple weeks have been quite a whirlwind! Every day we have new information and big changes and we are now all “sheltering in place”. At The Practice Space, where all of our programming is done in person and often in schools, we are adjusting, like so many, to how we can serve our …

Staying Connected While Physically Apart Read More »

The Practice Space wants to personally let our community know that your safety, is, and always will be our top priority. We are monitoring the status of news around coronavirus (COVID-19) and are taking concerns seriously as a local business. As of now, some of the steps we are taking include: limiting or canceling any …

A Message From The Practice Space: What We’re Doing to Keep Our Community Safe Read More »

If you’ve ever been to The Practice Space, or taken part in a workshop or event we’ve led, you have no doubt met AnnMarie. As the Founder and Executive Director of The Practice Space, she plays a role in everything we do. So we thought it would be fun for those of you who don’t …

An Interview with AnnMarie Baines, Founder of The Practice Space Read More »

We are so excited to have Nancy Correa join our team at The Practice Space as our Digital Strategist. We wanted Nancy to get a chance to introduce herself and can’t wait for you all to meet her. ¡Hola! My name is Nancy Correa and I joined The Practice Space as the Digital Strategist in …

Welcoming Our Newest Team Member Nancy! Read More »

For Valentine’s Day, we want to celebrate our community and share a little about why we love what we do here at The Practice Space. We envision a world where diverse communities of youth and adults feel free, cared for, and capable of manifesting their voices in the world.  As The Practice Space continues to …

Valentine’s Reflections: Our Voices and Our Passions Read More »

By AnnMarie Baines To be a leader, you have to feel like your voice matters and you have something of value to say and contribute to the world. Unfortunately, we live in a society where many people are taught from an early age that their voice is less important. As a naturally shy student, I …

The Impact of Fear on Equity Read More »

Have you ever felt like it’s too early or too late to build your confidence with public speaking? At The Practice Space we believe there’s never a limit on when or who can develop these skills, which is why we offer programs and services to all ages, from young children to working professionals to elders. …

Young Speakers Camp — Youth Aloud Podcast Bonus Episode! Read More »

As the world changes, so do our dreams for the future. In our final episode of the second season, the Youth Aloud podcast team voice their opinions about the “American Dream” in a candid group discussion. Beginning with their stories of growing up with immigrant parents, these high school students define what they see as …

What is Our American Dream? — Youth Aloud Podcast Episode 10 Read More »

Students are no strangers to stress and burnout. It’s hard to find the energy and willpower to do everything we should, especially when we aren’t doing what we love and are stretched too thin. This episode features high school and college student interviews and stories about how they cope with stress and figure out how …

Student Stress – Youth Aloud Podcast Episode 9 Read More »

How do we fight against societal messages that make us feel like we aren’t beautiful? In this episode, we interview teens and family members and tell our own stories about experiences with body image and how we accept who we are, despite cultural stereotypes. “It doesn’t matter what anybody else does, it only matters what …

Battles with Self-Image – Youth Aloud Podcast Episode 8 Read More »

Why do young people want to speak up? In this episode, we hear from high school students about why they think their voice matters and what stands in the way of being heard. Members of our podcast team, Lindsey Lam, Sophie Ciurlik-Rittenbaum, and Hawi Abraham, share their own stories as well as how other teens …

Youth Voice Matters – Youth Aloud Podcast Episode 7 Read More »

This episode is about gender identity and people’s struggles to understand and express gender. You’ll hear from our field reporters Sophie Ciurlik-Rittenbaum and Robson Swift, who interview transgender teens about their experiences with gender expression and coming out, reflecting on how different people relate to gender. “Gender is a double edged sword. You can use …

Let’s Talk About Gender – Youth Aloud Podcast Episode 6 Read More »

In this week’s episode, Youth Aloud field reporters, Hawi and Sophie, ask youth to answer the question, “Who are you?” When asked this question, people tend to answer with the easily identifiable parts of ourselves, such as ethnicity or hobbies. However, when they dig deeper, Hawi and Sophie uncover much more about what those aspects …

Who Are We? – Youth Aloud Podcast Episode 5 Read More »

Finding your voice is easier said than done. In this guest interview, former high school public speaker George Elsbury explains concrete tips and techniques for figuring out what to say and how to feel more confident performing in front of others. “Finding your voice is…about figuring out what to say and what you believe in.” …

How to Find Your Voice – Youth Aloud Podcast Episode 4 Read More »

We wanted to let our newest team members, Mariana and Caitlin, introduce themselves to The Practice Space community so you get to know a little more about them and what led them to this work. We hope you get to meet them both at an upcoming event! My name is Mariana Castro and I first …

Get to Know Our Newest Team Members: Mariana and Caitlin! Read More »

Davis High School student Matteo Nouve hardly looks nervous at all as he walks up the front of his school cafeteria to give his speech about art education. Even at the end of the program after ten other student speeches, the room is quiet and the eyes of fifty parents and educators are on him. …

Getting Ready to Speak: Creating Student-Led, Inclusive Communities Read More »

It is 3:30pm on a Tuesday, and 14 high school students have gathered together to prepare speeches for an upcoming community engagement night. It is the first time they have been invited as keynote speakers and they know it is a big deal. Chattering excitedly over pizza, they try to figure out what issues from …

Rethinking Leadership: Helping Youth Have a Voice Read More »

Awkwardness. We all feel it at some point in our lives. Members of the podcast, Ava Remler and AnnMarie Baines, share some of their awkward moments. Lindsey Lam connects their stories with words from the experts and some awkwardness of her own. “The worst thing in the world is when I’m on a roll, I’m …

When Feeling Awkward – Youth Aloud Podcast Episode 3 Read More »

Public speaking is scary, but somehow we make it through. Two high school students, Lindsey Lam and Ava Remler, describe what they did to overcome their fear of public speaking. AnnMarie Baines, Executive Director of The Practice Space, connects their stories to broader research on communication anxiety, reminding us that we aren’t alone. “I found …

How We Faced the Fear – Youth Aloud Podcast Episode 2 Read More »

Some of the most powerful work at The Practice Space has been with parents and families, where we go out into the community and work with organizations that help parents advocate for their children’s needs. If you think public speaking is hard, try speaking about something as personal and emotional as your child’s struggles in …

Speaking Up For Kids Read More »

While we all have moments when we find it hard to listen to others, we may not know why. This week’s episode offers research and analysis behind the listening challenge we face every day. Two high school students, Lindsey Lam and Ava Remler, share personal stories and discuss why we need better listeners in today’s …

Why Listening is Hard – Youth Aloud Podcast Episode 1 Read More »

  Summer is the best time to work on public speaking. In the summer, it is not only easier to focus on a specific skill but we are allowed to have fun in the process. The Practice Space summer camps attract a whole range of students, from those who already love public speaking to those …

Public Speaking Summer Camps for Kids Read More »

  Communication is how we express who we are, speak up for what we care about, and connect with others. Sometimes, we are fortunate to have access to the education we need to improve our message and a community of people who still care about us when we don’t quite come off the way we …

Why We Created The Practice Space Read More »

  While we all have moments when we find it hard to listen to others, we may not know why. This week’s episode offers research and analysis behind the listening challenge we face every day. Two high school students, Lindsey Lam and Ava Remler, share personal stories and discuss why we need better listeners in …

Why Listening is Hard – Podcast 1 Read More »