From Shy To The Stage: Summer Leadership Academy Brings The Power of Communication
- Kut Different
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
"What has Kut Different Done For Me? It helped me become responsible, show respect to others, how to be myself and find my purpose." - Kai
Some kids dream of being famous. Others just want to be heard.
In Kut Different’s Communication Class, we don’t just teach young men how to speak. We teach them how to own their story. Because when a boy discovers his voice, he doesn’t just speak louder. He stands taller. He listens better. He leads stronger.
And this summer, 8 of those voices will rise to the biggest stage of all. The annual Summer Gala.
Where Words Begin: Inside the Communication Class
You can hear it before you see it.
A room of boys, laughing, stumbling, starting over. Some are whispering through introductions. Some are reciting with fire. But every single one is learning to speak — not just with volume, but with vision.
Each week, our Communication Class equips mentees with the tools to:
Present with confidence
Make eye contact with purpose
Communicate emotion with clarity
Network with courage
And yes, we push them — gently but firmly — outside their comfort zones. Because that’s where growth happens.
The Top 8: Training for the Summer Gala
This isn’t just practice.
By the end of the summer, eight young men will be selected to speak at our biggest annual event — the Kut Different Summer Gala. These speeches aren’t performances. They’re declarations. Moments that mark how far they’ve come… and how far they’re going.
The journey to that stage includes:
Weekly evaluations
Peer leadership moments
One-on-one feedback
Emotional storytelling prompts
What they’ll say isn’t scripted. It’s theirs.
Meet Kai: Quiet No More
Kai is one of the shyest kids in the program.
When he first arrived, you could barely hear his name when he introduced himself. He kept his hands in his pockets, eyes low, voice lower.
So we called on him. A lot. We had him speak. Ask questions. Tell a story. And every time he stepped up, something shifted.
This week, he raised his hand to lead without being asked. And when he spoke? The room got still.
He didn’t yell. He didn’t perform. But he stood in full voice — and the room felt it.
"What has Kut Different Done For Me? It helped me become responsible, show respect to others, how to be myself and find my purpose." - Kai
Why This Matters (And Why We Need You)
For every Kai, there’s another boy too scared to speak.
He’s got thoughts, dreams, stories — but no space to say them. Kut Different creates that space.
We don’t just teach skills. We build platforms. We don’t just prepare for the stage. We prepare for life.
You can help us take these boys even further:
Attend the Summer Gala
Become a mentor or sponsor a speaker
Share Our Story
The Mic Is Only the Beginning
The truth is, most of these boys won’t go into public speaking.
But every one of them will walk into an interview, a classroom, or a boardroom someday. And when they do, we want them to walk in ready.
Ready to own the room.Ready to speak their truth.Ready to lead.
All it takes is someone to give them a mic — and a reason to use it.
Join us. Help us give voice to greatness.
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