Every child should have the chance to succeed.

We’re on a mission to make sure all children in Detroit have the opportunity to succeed. We’re using improv training to transform how Detroit’s young people view their potential at school and in life. 

Most of us can point to people or experiences that helped direct our path from childhood, through school, and on to our careers and adult lives. Sure, we stumbled. But there was an enormous safety net to keep us moving forward.

Now imagine how different life would be without that. Maybe you don’t have access to a good education because of where you live. Or school takes second place to work because you need to help support your family. And maybe there isn’t someone in your life who can keep you engaged and on track.

Many children in Detroit’s neighborhoods face some or all of these challenges even though there’s a renaissance happening in the City’s center.

Think about the statistics. Six out of ten school children in Detroit live in poverty. That rate increased 25 percent between 2008 and 2015. Only 1 in 10 children are proficient readers when they reach 3rd grade. And 1 in 4 won’t graduate from high school.

Unless something changes there is an enormous risk that in spite of all their potential many of these kids will grow up and continue to live in poverty.

The Improv Project offers these young people tools to change that story. For $170 in tuition, our students develop the ability to collaborate, listen to others’ views, build literacy skills, and learn to take risks in a safe, supportive setting. Their teachers tell us these young improvisers attend school more regularly, engage in class, and achieve stronger academic growth.

The best part is these lessons and your impact endure long after improv class ends. Our work is possible because of support from people like you. You can donate here.