iPresents Is Giving Teens a Voice Before the World Demands One

There is a moment in nearly every teenager’s life when they realize being smart is not always enough. You can have the right answer, the best idea, or the strongest opinion in the room and still get overlooked if you cannot communicate it with confidence. For many students, especially those navigating new social circles, leadership opportunities, and the pressures of high school, the real challenge is not what to say. It is the courage and clarity to say it.

That challenge is exactly what inspired Reba to create iPresents, a public speaking camp designed for rising 8th graders through 12th graders. While public speaking is often framed as a skill for future careers, iPresents treats it as something more immediate and personal: a tool for social confidence, self advocacy, and everyday connection.

Reba noticed a pattern that many adults see but few know how to address. Students were struggling to communicate in general social groups, not because they lacked intelligence or personality, but because they lacked practice in expressing themselves in real time. Conversations felt harder. Speaking up felt riskier. Introducing yourself, contributing to a group discussion, or advocating for your own needs could feel like a performance without rehearsal.

Rather than accept that as just how kids are these days, Reba took action.

A Camp Built With Teens, Not Just For Them

Before launching iPresents, Reba did what strong leaders do: she listened. She asked teens what they would actually want in a public speaking camp. She sought guidance from educators who understand student development and classroom dynamics. That preparation shaped a program rooted in reality, not theory.

The result is a camp experience that supports teens where they are, while training them for where they are headed.

iPresents is structured as a three session camp, creating enough continuity for real growth while remaining accessible for busy student schedules and families. Across the sessions, campers strengthen the communication habits that matter most: speaking clearly, showing confidence, engaging an audience, and finding their voice in environments that once felt intimidating.

And while the focus is public speaking, the broader impact is life skills.

Confidence That Transfers Beyond the Microphone

What teens learn in iPresents does not stay in the camp setting. It follows them into classrooms, interviews, team environments, student organizations, and eventually adulthood. Reba emphasizes that the camp helps students build the foundation they need to advocate for themselves, whether that means asking for support, setting boundaries, leading a project, or simply being comfortable introducing themselves to new people.

In a world that increasingly rewards visibility and communication, self advocacy is not an optional skill. It is a protective one.

Community Support That Shows Up in Real Ways

One of the most powerful aspects of iPresents is the community response. Reba has received tremendous support through sponsorships that directly reduce barriers for students. Local partners have helped by sponsoring campers, providing materials, supporting meals like breakfast and lunch, and contributing value through guest speakers who bring real world perspective into the room.

That kind of support does more than fund a program. It signals to young people that their voices matter enough for an entire community to invest in them.

To widen access even further, scholarships are available, ensuring that motivated students are not turned away due to financial constraints.

A College Campus Setting With a Bigger Vision

This year, iPresents will be held on the VCU campus, placing students in an environment that naturally encourages growth. For many campers, stepping onto a college campus is inspiring all on its own. It turns someday into something that feels closer, more real, and more attainable.

And Reba is not stopping there.

With plans to expand iPresents to other college campuses, her vision is clear: bring this need meets opportunity model to more communities and create spaces where young people can practice their voice in places that represent their future.

Speaking Skills Are Not Just for Teens

Reba also understands something many adults will quietly admit: public speaking does not stop being intimidating once you graduate. From workplace presentations to community leadership roles, many adults still struggle with confidence and clarity when speaking in front of others.

To meet that need, Reba offers individual public speaking sessions for adults via Zoom, recognizing that growth is not age dependent. Sometimes adults need help at times with speaking publicly, especially when their careers, businesses, or leadership responsibilities require stronger communication.

Public Speaking Is a Journey

Reba’s philosophy is refreshingly honest. She does not sell public speaking as a quick fix or a personality trait you either have or do not. Instead, she frames it as a skill that develops over time.

Public speaking, she says, is a journey. It takes time. It takes commitment. And like any art form, it improves through practice.

That message alone is empowering. It removes shame, replaces fear with process, and gives students and adults a realistic path forward.

Because in the end, confidence is not something you wait for. It is something you build, one introduction, one presentation, one brave sentence at a time.

And with iPresents, Reba is helping the next generation do exactly that.