Since 2005, Ms. McClarty has been empowering young people through servant leadership. Her enrichment program, Young Faces Smiling, utilizes pop culture as a catalyst for academic change.

As the co-founder of Young Faces Smiling, Ms. McClarty provides Reality Education lessons - academic lessons created from stories students find in the news about public figures, entrepreneurs, and celebrities. Students then write to celebrities to improve their networking, communication, reading, writing, and diction skills. The Young Faces Smiling curriculum has featured over 400 actors, athletes, entertainers, clergy, radio personalities, and more including gospel singer Dorinda Clark-Cole of the Clark Sisters, Teyona Taylor, DC Young Fly, Mayor David Dinkins, and many more.

Photo Credit: Young Faces Smiling

 

Ms. McClarty goes on to describe how she converts current events experienced by celebrities, entrepreneurs, and politicians into learning exercises. She is actively working on replicating her "Reality Teaching" technique and has written several books idea for educators, youth advocates, and parents on the value of mentorship, the impact it has had on her life, and her formula for contacting celebrities to lend their support for your community programs. My interview with Ms. McClarty can be found below. Check it out!

Resources from Ms. McClarty can be found here: https://cutt.ly/MRTV-Amazon-Book-Wish-List

More information about Young Faces Smiling here: https://www.youngfacessmiling.org