8 Weeks. Real Training. One Big Stage.
Help your child become a more confident, articulate, memorable communicator on stage, in school, with adults, and in everyday life.
ENROLL NOWYOUR CHILD WILL SPEND THEIR ENTIRE LIFE COMMUNICATING
Whether they are raising their hand in class, introducing themselves to an adult, making a new friend, interviewing for a job, advocating for themselves, leading a team, or stepping onto a stage, their ability to communicate will shape the opportunities available to them.
Communication is a skill. Skills get trained.
GPA Academy gives kids and teens a place to develop that skill intentionally.
8 - 12 YEARS OLD
For the child who needs more confidence:
We help hesitant communicators find their voice, organize their thoughts, and become comfortable being heard.
13 - 17 YEARS OLD
For the child who is already confident:
We help naturally outgoing communicators become more polished, intentional, persuasive, and memorable.
MORE THAN PUBLIC SPEAKING
During GPA Academy, students will develop skills in:
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATION
Speak with clarity, conviction, and purpose.
SELF-EXPRESSION
Learn how to articulate thoughts, opinions, and ideas.
SELF-ADVOCACY
Become comfortable speaking up, asking questions, and communicating needs.
FIRST IMPRESSION
Learn how eye contact, body language, energy, and introductions shape how people experience them.
THINKING ON YOUR FEET
Practice responding without freezing, rambling, or overthinking.
LEADERSHIP PRESENCE
Learn how strong communicators create trust, confidence, and influence.
HUMAN CONNECTION
Understand how to listen, read the room, connect with people, and make others feel heard.
Public Speaking
Learn how to structure and deliver messages that people actually want to listen to.
THE GPA ACADEMY EXPERIENCE
WEEKS 1–4
BUILD
Students train the foundational skills of confident communication through:
Speaking drills | Interactive exercises | Improv and thinking-on-your-feet activities
Small group work | Live coaching | Individual feedback | Repetition and practice
WEEKS 5–8
REFINE + PERFORM
Each student selects a performance piece and begins applying everything they've learned.
They will develop, rehearse, refine, and ultimately perform their piece in front of a live audience.
ONE BIG STAGE.
Every student finishes GPA Academy by taking the stage.
In Week 8, parents, siblings, relatives, and friends are invited to attend The GPA Showcase, where every student performs a piece they have developed throughout the academy.
Students may choose:
- Persuasive Speaking
- Informational Speaking
- Special Occasion Speaking
- Original Comedy
- Dramatic Interpretation
- Original Oratory
- Prose
- Poetry
A REAL AUDIENCE CHANGES THE WAY STUDENTS PREPARE
They aren't practicing for a worksheet, grade, or hypothetical situation.
They know that at the end of eight weeks, they have a stage waiting for them.
8 WEEKS. REAL TRAINING. ONE BIG STAGE
WHY GPA ACADEMY DIFFERENT
SMALL COHORTS
Only 12 students per age group, allowing students to speak frequently and receive individual coaching.
ACTIVE TRAINING
This isn't a lecture-based class. Students learn communication by communicating.
REAL FEEDBACK
Students receive coaching on their actual delivery, presence, body language, voice, and messaging.
A REAL PERFORMANCE
Every session ends with a live showcase.
BUILT FOR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT
GPA Academy isn't designed as a one-and-done course. Each session introduces increasingly advanced skills and challenges.
DIFFERENT SHOWCASE EXPERIENCE EACH SESSION
Returning students choose different types of pieces, helping them develop a broader communication range.
GPA ACADEMY MAY BE RIGHT FOR YOUR CHILD IF...
They hesitate when speaking in front of groups
They know what they want to say but struggle to articulate it
They become nervous or quiet around adults
They ramble or lose their train of thought
They struggle to advocate for themselves
They want to become more comfortable on stage
They already love speaking and want advanced coaching
They have natural leadership potential
They want to become more polished and persuasive
You want them developing communication skills now instead of waiting until college or their first job
They don't need to be shy to need communication training.
Some students need help finding their voice. Others need help learning how to fully use it.
MEET YOUR COACH
SAMEER ALEEM
A Youth Communication Coach and Founder of Sameer Speaks.
He has coached hundreds of kids and teens through public speaking camps, communication intensives, leadership programs, individual coaching, and live showcase experiences.
His coaching philosophy is simple:
Kids don't become confident communicators by hearing someone talk about communication. They become confident communicators by speaking, practicing, receiving feedback, and doing it again.
That philosophy is at the center of GPA Academy.
Learn MoreWHAT ARE PARENTS ARE SAYING
FALL SESSION REGISTRATION
SEP 29 (Tue) | OCT 6 (Tue) | OCT 13 (Tue) | OCT 20 (Tue) | OCT 26 (Mon) | NOV 2 (Mon) | NOV 10 (Tue) | NOV 17 (Tue)
AGES 8 - 12
$495
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
- PROGRAM LENGTH: 8 Weeks
- DATE: September 29 – November 17
- COHORT SIZE: Maximum 12 students
- LOCATION: Oak Brook Park District - 1450 Forest Gate Rd, Oak Brook, IL 60523
- DESCRIPTION: We help hesitant communicators find their voice, organize their thoughts, and become comfortable being heard.
AGES 13 - 17
$495
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
- PROGRAM LENGTH: 8 Weeks
- DATE: September 29 - November 17
- COHORT SIZE: Maximum 12 students
- LOCATION: Oak Brook Park District - 1450 Forest Gate Rd, Oak Brook, IL 60523
- DESCRIPTION: We help naturally outgoing communicators become more polished, intentional, persuasive, and memorable.
Includes all eight training sessions and the Week 8 GPA Showcase.
Registration closes when the cohort reaches 12 students.
FAQ
Does my child need public-speaking experience?
Is this only for shy kids?
Is this a public-speaking class?
Does my child have to attend all three sessions?
Will future sessions repeat the same curriculum?
Is there homework?
What happens if my child misses a session?
Who can attend the showcase?
Their ability to communicate will follow them everywhere.
Into classrooms. Into interviews. Into friendships. Into leadership opportunities. Into college. Into their careers.
The earlier they learn how to confidently express themselves, connect with people, and command a room, the more opportunities they will be prepared to step into.
Give them a place to train it.
THE GPA ACADEMY
Grab People’s Attention.
8 Weeks. Real Training. One Big Stage.
Fall Session | Sept. 29–Nov. 17 | Only 12 Students Per Cohort
FOR ONLY $495
ENROLL IN GPA ACADEMY
