ESTEEM is incredible! The time, effort, and dedication put into the work and lessons they do with kiddos is unmatched! The wonderful staff go above and beyond to learn about each student and staff member. The lessons they create are fun and engaging - truly the kiddos LOVE getting to spend time with Ms. Gena and the team. Thank you!
I like ESTEEM because it’s fun and the activities ESTEEM does help me learn to be the best me I can be. I would say my favorite activity is night at the museum yoga style.
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I have gotten to go through programming with ESTEEM for three years. I like myself more, I have had lots of fun and met many new friends. I try harder with my team and I learned that I like helping others. I hope other kids get to experience ESTEEM and feel more confident and excited about trying new things.
I know when I donate to ESTEEM I am making a difference. I see all the amazing things they are doing with the youth in our area and how much fun they are having and I feel like I am helping to make that happen. I will continue to support them in the future, because I have seen the positive impact they have on my community.
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I have witnessed the impact that ESTEEM has on the youth in my community. This program has helped a lot of the youth in my neighborhood feel more confident, become more active and be more helpful and kind to others. I cannot wait to see the impact the program can make if it continues year after year in our neighborhood school.
I went to the summer camp and it was great we went to the wave pool and we went on a hike with Mr Mike. The crafts were fun. Meeting the mounted horse police was cool. I really enjoy the program.
After working here for over a year I absolutely love it. It’s so wonderful to watch the kids change throughout the program. The kids love it when we show up to their school and are so happy to spend time with us.
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The ESTEEM group was at our school for our annual Fun Day. Gena and her team kept the kids engaged the entire time with various activities. There was so much laughter and so many smiles. It was so nice to witness the kids moving and thinking outside the box. As a parent it was nice to witness the kids cheer each other on and work to help their fellow teammates. We wished we could secure her team for more programs!
Working with ESTEEM has allowed me to see how much this program does for our students. The benefits of health health and wellness throughout their mind, body, and soul. I cannot wait to see how much further we can take the program!
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I have had the pleasure of watching ESTEEM grow over the last several years and I cannot say how amazed I am of the work they do with the students in our area. They are always upbeat and professional and make everything they do fun! Keep up the great work!!
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My daughter has enjoyed this program for the past two years in her pre-school. She has not only learned to skip, gallop, jump on one foot, do correct jumping jacks and other fitness milestones, but she has learned how to give meaningful compliments, calm herself through yoga and breathing and she has learned how to be respectful and helpful to others. I cannot say enough amazing things about this program. I am truly grateful my daughter had the opportunity to participate and experience this with her friends and teachers.
This was an incredible opportunity for my son! He loved coming everyday, all the activities planned, and he was so sad when it was over. He can't wait for next year!
ESTEEM has been a part of my kindergarten classroom for the past five years. My students look forward each week to their time to practice yoga, dance, fitness, and team building. Each year I have seen improvements in the way my students interact with each other, their ability to display self-control and utilize mindfulness, their increase with sportsmanship, manners, and more. I highly recommend this program and am grateful that it continues to be available to the students at Whittier.
Gena and her Esteem Group create an amazing learning and caring environment for the students! As the students entered into the gymnasium for their yoga lesson you could feel a calming effect take place that would set the tone for the incredible lesson to follow . Gena and her colleague show a true understanding of teaching their craft to elementary aged students. As the rhythm and flow of the lesson began to unfold each student was engaged with direction and encouragement from Gena and her co-teacher, you could see the joy and excitement on their faces. It was truly wonderful to see how this program can help children expand and explore their personalities in a positive way. In the lesson they learned the different basic poses of yoga and how breathing techniques can help in certain situations which gives students wonderful tools to use. The movement and music that accompanied the lesson was upbeat and effective which gave the students the confidence in front of their peers. To the see the program in action was remarkable and any school would be lucky to have it in their school district!
I have witnessed first-hand the amazing work of the ESTEEM Group and I highly recommend their services to any educational program. Gena and her staff are enthusiastic, patient, and exude joy while working with children. It is evident how much they care about the physical AND mental health of our youth and their passion and dedication is outstanding. Well done ESTEEM Group!
I had the opportunity to experience partner yoga with the ESTEEM Group Inc. staff. The instructor was incredibly professional and knowledgeable.
Partner yoga was very interesting as it gave the participants the opportunity to communicate on a different level. Students in the school system are given the same opportunity. They are taught to rely on each other in an elevated way through doing the partner yoga exercises.
Our collaboration with the esteem group has been truly transformative. This program has had a profound impact on our team's well-being and our overall work environment.
The program's emphasis on social and emotional development has fostered a sense of empathy, understanding, and resilience among our team members. The workshops and resources provided have not only improved our individual emotional intelligence but have also enhanced our ability to work together harmoniously.
The dedication and expertise of the program's facilitators have been outstanding. They've created a safe and inclusive space for open discussions, allowing us to address both personal and professional challenges.
The positive effects of this partnership extend beyond the workplace; they've improved our personal lives as well. We've learned valuable skills that we can apply to our interactions with family and friends.
Overall, partnering with the esteem group has been a game-changer for our organization. It has strengthened our team, increased our productivity, and created a more compassionate and resilient workforce. We look forward to continuing this partnership and highly recommend it to any organization seeking to enhance their team's emotional well-being and collaboration.
It has been wonderful working with this program to create lessons for students in all ages. They are doing fantastic work in the Pittsburgh Schools.
The Esteem Group is phenomenal. Our non profit secured services with them to offer enrichment programs to our children and families. Gena and her team offered developmentally appropriate classes for our infants through pre k children. Everyone enjoyed weekly sessions and looked forward to continuing classes in the future. The entire team is so kind and patient with ensuring our group has a positive experience. After our family event, our parents raved about how much fun they had and how impressed they were with their children's level of knowledge.
Our values are aligned, and we greatly appreciate the opportunity for our children, staff and parents to participate in a program that is high quality and helps to enhance our personal skill sets. We plan to continue the partnership into the future and look forward to building our relationship with the Esteem Group.
I highly recommend their services to any educational program that wants to excel and offer incredible opportunities. Special thanks for their dedication, energy and time to developing young minds and improving outcomes for children. Thank you for a job well done!
It was my first year working with the E.S.T.E.E.M. Group and it was amazing! Getting to move with students and enforce positive messages is something that I enjoyed. Watching the change in the students over the course of the programming and the progress they are making is unmatched!
The ESTEEM Group’s programming and people were awesome! Through working with the ESTEEM team, my students learned new skills, grew in their awareness of themselves, their ability to communicate with one another, and felt empowered to express their feelings and goals. The programming was age appropriate and engaging to
my students. In addition to having a program that helped my student grow in many ways, I found the ESTEEM Group’s personnel to be awesome to work with—always flexible, positive, and professional.
ESTEEM group is such an amazing experience to be a part of. My role as board member and classroom helper has allowed me to see the various perspectives of programming. I truly am inspired by Mrs. Gena and her team in providing social emotional learning to students of all walks of life. The program and the teaching artists are creative in meeting the students where they are at and allowing each child to make the progress that he/she needs. It is such a reward being able to support this program!
I am a proud monthly donor! I know that every dollar I give goes to the direct service of the youth and I have seen first hand through my granddaughter the impact this organization is making on our communities.
I have been working at ESTEEM from the start and it has been a wonderful experience to watch it grow and develop from year to year with the one constant being, the students always come first. The program changes and navigates through each and every experience with each student, classroom, and school. I could not be more excited to be a part of a program that truly believes in it's mission. Remember, the best project you can ever work on is you!
The Esteem Group is absolutely amazing and has had such a positive uplifting influence on every single child in the program. These teachers put their whole hearts into what they do because they truly care about these kids and the impact they make on them. I cannot speak highly enough about this wonderful program.
In a generation where most of our students are spending more time stuck behind a screen than moving, playing and building relationships with with peers, ESTEEM provides an indispensable service to our youth. Beyond the program being unbelievably fun and engaging, our students are learning to have more self-control, build confidence and develop interpersonal skills. We are so fortunate to have this program visit our class twice a week to learn and experiment with different types of movement like dance and yoga. Thank you, ESTEEM! You are making a difference in the lives of our children.
The passion and commitment of the ESTEEM Group's staff and executive director shines through every facet of their social-emotional learning curriculum. From improvements in self-confidence to gaining a stronger sense of kindness, respect, and community, ESTEEM's impact on the kids fortunate enough to receive its programming is invaluable.
My kindergartens class is thriving with the help of the ESTEEM group. In ever aspect of each child I see growth in self confidence, leadership, self regulation, gross motor, respect, and kindness. It also is great from me as a "grown up" to enjoy the movement and laughter with my class.
ESTEEM has been a part of my child's life for nearly 4 years, and I'm so grateful for them. My little one started doing yoga and dance in preschool and still does it in 3rd grade. She loves learning how powerful her body and mind are. My child is always excited to have the ESTEEM team there and loves the learning and team building.
I have been a teaching artist in the Pittsburgh area for the past 12 years. When I was approached by Gena to work with her and The ESTEEM Group, I couldn’t wait to get started. The ESTEEM Group offers a unique and creative way to incorporate Social-Emotional-Learning through movement. Having seen the effects that the pandemic has had on many students, I believe this kind of approach is much needed. Students are craving a new pathway to learning, and Gena and The ESTEEM Group offer just that. Within the structure of yoga, dance, and fitness, students gain a stronger sense of leadership, compassion, teamwork, confidence, agility, creativity, strength, and empathy. Gena and her team work extremely hard to adapt to each student, while still challenging them to push themselves to new limits. I am excited to see what is next for this company, and I’m so thankful to be a part of the team.
Since I moved to Pittsburgh 5 years ago, I have been trying to find a nonprofit that teaches through the arts and truly cares about the students it serves, and this year I was so grateful to find The ESTEEM group. Gena and her whole team of teaching artists demonstrate every day how much they truly want their students to succeed, and how much they believe in the mission of this organization. Teaching post-covid has been a struggle for many, but having The ESTEEM Group come and reinforce such complex subjects as sharing, team building, empathy, leadership skills, and the power of never giving up, has made such a difference; even in just the year that I have known them. Every student can benefit from working with The ESTEEM Group, no matter what type of learner they are.
Gena and her team are such a breath of fresh air. I just started working with them this spring and I am so happy the stars aligned to bring us together. Amber trained me and was such a great role model in her interactions with the kids. Her positivity and tone made for a fun learning environment. Working with ESTEEM Group, has been such a joy and I looking forward to more collaborations in the future!
ESTEEM came twice a week to our ESY camp this summer. The kids really enjoyed all the sessions! The ESTEEM staff is amazing! All the instructors are dynamic individuals. Our students' social-emotional learning skills increased by participating in dance, yoga, physical exercise, and team-building activities! The ESTEEM program brought joy to our students and staff this summer! Thanks for sharing all your positive energy with us. You made a huge impact on each child and adult this summer!!
The Esteem Group does amazing work with our students. It was wonderful that, even during a pandemic, they were still there to influence our students in a very positive way. All students were actively involved in the team building games and yoga sessions. This was definitely a positive resource for my students; so glad to be a part of such a wonderful nonprofit!
The ladies from the E.S.T.E.E.M. group are absolutely amazing. They really keep the kids moving and engaged. Thank you for challenging our students and my own children with fun, upbeat workouts. Keep up the excellent work!
This is a wonderful Group. Ms. Gena is so energetic. She gets everyone moving and engaged and really helps to build the children's self-esteem and confidence. Every lesson begins with peers giving compliments and ends with a self-reflection. She gives the students many tools to relax, to make good decisions, and gives them all a chance to take on a leadership role. All of my students look forward to her classes and I look forward to continuing to work with this group in the future.
I’ve seen this program change apathetic students into more engaged and eager to learn students. The curriculum is positively oriented which is just what the students and teachers needed this year. A little extra boost and smile. :)
I love Esteem Group! They do amazing work with our kids at Whittier Elementary both in person and remotely. They have a consistent, powerful, and positive message that is woven through every class and interaction. Furthermore, my young 4 year old daughter has been impacted by Gena, Catherine, and the rest of the team. She loves learning about yoga, fitness, dance, and team building with them and begged me to buy a shirt so she could be like them. They have an immeasurable impact on the youngsters they encounter and we are so lucky to have them be part of our school family!
This was the first year our after school program partnered with ESTEEM Group. After speaking with Gena and learning about their uniquely effective approach to help our students continue to build their SEL skills, I was excited to get started. Although, virtual programming due to COVID was not ideal, Gena made it work. I'll admit, I even participated in one of her classes; it was great. Highly Recommended!
Chanel,
Langley Mustang Club Program Manager
My granddaughter had an amazing experience with this program. She would talk about all the fun things she learned and she has shown us how her yoga has helped her to calm down and make better decisions. I could not ever imagine how a 4 year old would learn so many amazing life lessons from yoga, fitness and dance.
I am proud to be a donor for Pure Ballroom Inc.! They do such amazing work with the kids in our area. I hope that more people realize how important the work they do is to the future of our communities. Social Emotional Learning is so important, especially during these times.
This program is top notch! My students absolutely loved ballroom dancing and grew leaps and bounds from where they started. This group does such a great job teaching not just dance , but the things that really matter, like how we treat one another and having a positive growth mindset when faced with new challenges and obstacles. I am very fortunate to have gotten to work alongside this group and watch them scaffold instruction and accommodate student needs at every step. This nonprofit is a blessing and Banksville K-5 is incredibly thankful and fortunate to have this partnership!
Every year our fifth grade students participate in Pure Ballroom. We believe Gena has the perfect program - teamwork in the form of dance. Our students come into the gymnasium knowing nothing about the ballroom dances and her team have fun cues and with their success come smiles.
This program is truly amazing and changing young lives every day! I have had the pleasure of seeing it first hand!It teaches children self control, confidence, fitness, teamwork, respect for others and for themselves! Dance, yoga, fitness and team building are the means of teaching these valuable tools! It is fun for everyone! We are so fortunate to have a program like this in our hometown of Pittsburgh!
Our students in Wilkinsburg are constantly looking forward to their lessons with the ESTEEM Group! Ms. Gena and Ms. Katherine are wonderful, patient teachers who are extremely passionate about what they do. Every single one of our fourth and fifth grade students are engaged throughout class-from the warm up to their reflection at the end. Even our most skeptical student loves coming to class and learning the new dances. This group has not only taught our students new dances, but also respect, motivation, patience, and teamwork. We will absolutely be asking them to return next year!
The ESTEEM group came into work with my fourth grade class this year. Ms. Gena and Ms. Katherine were awesome! The kids really took to them and looked forward to our weekly "dance" class. At first they were a bit hesitant, however they quickly became excited to see what the ladies had planned for the next session. I enjoyed watching the kids come out their shells as the sessions went on. Kids that don't normally work together got a chance to motivate each other and cheer each other on. My students loved each and every second of this program and were upset when it was over. Great job ladies and I hope to have this back in our school next year.
The ESTEEM group came into work with my Pre-K classroom, and we loved every minute. The excitement the kids had for their sessions with Ms. Gena and Ms. Brenda was contagious! The ladies were amazing with the kids. They encouraged them, and helped our class work together more as a team. Their upbeat personalities made each session something to look forward to!! We cannot wait to work with them again.
Gena and her team at the ESTEEM Group are amazing! They worked with my class of 26 students and managed to have all the students actively engaged and focused! The students learned team work and calming strategies that they have been able to apply in the classroom. We work in groups in our classroom often and the students have used the team building strategies they learned during their sessions to resolve conflicts and work together. When I observed how amazingly the students responded to yoga as a tool to get their bodies under control and focus their minds, I began using the same strategies in my classroom when we needed to do just that. My students loved every second of this program and my only complaint would be that I want Gena at our school everyday, all year long!!! Gena even came and did a professional development session with our staff, which helped us with our self care, using yoga. This session was extremely beneficial. I could not say enough about how essential this program is to our school.
Gene and her team are absolutely the best! My Kindergarten students look forward to the ESTEEM group every week. I love how they teach the kids self control and how to work together. I love joining in with my students to show them that everyone can participate. My students take what they learn from the ESTEEM group and apply it to the classroom environment. We talk about body control when we are around others and it has helped tremendously. This program is so needed in every school!
So many people say, “We’ve got to do something about this” but fail to step up. Gena and her team at The ESTEEM Group have done that and more. At first glance, it may just look like dancing and yoga. But, I’ve watched our K, 2nd, and 4th grade students grow as a class community and as individuals. Students who were reluctant to try because they didn’t know how, or felt they would be laughed at for not being good, learned that everyone is a learner at some point. Persistence pays off. Encouragement goes far. Have fun with others. This is the practical, day by day social emotional learning that our students need. The proof was the performances for parents who are even more reluctant! Students gave the same encouragement and step by step directions as they had been given. The transfer we look for. I can’t wait for the rest of our students to participate this year!
In my 20-year career I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly as far as social and educational programming goes. Pure Ballroom is a fantastic organization that is at the top of my list, and I am proud to be associated with it! Gena is a mission-driven leader who brings the perfect synthesis of dancing, teaching, and managerial experience to the organization. She is supported by a group of passionate, creative, and dedicated teaching artists. Pure Ballroom’s programing develops a student’s self-esteem, self-control, and various social skills. It is critical to support organizations like Pure Ballroom, since they work to support the health and wellness of our youth and communities.
Exercise! Moving! Dancing! Yoga pretzels and Ballroom steps!
Muscle toning, heart strengthening, adrenaline pumping, perspiration dripping!
Motivating, inspiring, enlightening, exiting, engaging, calming, Ice breaking!
Comforting, connecting, supporting, acquainting, conversing, friendship making!
Self confidence building, self esteem fueling, self image sparkling!
Cha Cha! Rumba! Salsa! Jive!
All of the above are incredible gifts to the children of Pittsburgh Public Schools thanks to the vision, passion, dedication and commitment of Gena Melago and her The ESTEEM Group.
My daughter loves her job as Teaching Artist! Through her love and experience with dance, she can encourage a smile, teach a dance, and maybe even inspire a new passion.
Thank you to the ESTEEM Group!
Every school in America needs you!
I have been supporting Pure Ballroom Inc. since the inception of The E.S.T.E.E.M. Group program. I could not be more proud of the hard work and dedication the staff have to each and every school and student. They take the time to hear what the needs of the school are and they do their best to make sure that those needs are being met. I will continue to volunteer and support Pure Ballroom Inc. well into the future as it is a cause that is truly worth it.
It's hard not to smile when you see The ESTEEM Group working with children in the Pittsburgh area. I have had the opportunity to spend my time with the organization and watch it grow (at an amazingly fast rate) for the past year. The program is beneficial not only to the children, but also the staff, family and community members of the areas served. The most rewarding part of the program is when a child says they are more confident in themselves.
I cannot say enough wonderful things about this organization. Gena and her entire staff run an amazing school-wide program. From start to finish, they are a fun, energetic, and professional group that keep the students physically active and engaged the entire time. We couldn't be happier with the way the program has run in our school this year. The variety of activities, ranging from yoga, dance, team building, and fitness, find a way to reach the needs and interests of each and every student. The team-building and social/emotional based lessons have done wonders for individual students' self-esteem and overall class cohesion. My students are excited to come to class to see what they are doing next. While in class they are positively working and interacting with all the other students without complaining. We love having the E.S.T.E.E.M. group in our school and cannot wait for next year.
Truly a 5 Star organization. The staff is professional and tailors the curriculum to meet specific grade level and individual student needs. Our students were immediately engaged and responsive to the program's goals. The skills and mindfulness activities taught within are easily applied throughout the school environment. Students experienced positivity, success, and showed a transformation while they participated and far after the program ended for the remainder of the school year.
Horrible, un-professional, boring, and lackluster are words that I would NEVER use to describe Pure Ballroom! This is a wonderful program that helps build self-esteem while helping students become active! Through this program I have noticed clear and immediate changes in students. Students that were fidgety became calmer, quiet students became more confident, and students that were always excited and looking forward to their next visit of Pure Ballroom. This innovative and intuitive program looks at the needs of the classroom, the student, and the teacher and adapts their curriculum and targets these specific needs. Through the use of Yoga, mindfulness, dance, teambuilding, and self-awareness students transform and become better individuals. This is a wonderful program that will not disappoint!! ~SJFL
Having lived in Pittsburgh for the past 12 years, I can say that I have seen very few programs in the area with such invested staff and such a community impact. Thank you Pure Ballroom Inc.
This organization has the best programming for students in all of the Pittsburgh area. I have been giving my time to Pure Ballroom Inc., 3 times a week, for over a year now, and I can see the difference it is making; not just in the students’ lives, but in their families’ lives as well. The program enhances all aspects of their education using music and movement, which is unfortunately now lacking in most schools. This is something that the students and school staff really love, and so do all of the Pure Ballroom Inc. staff and volunteers.
I have observed the program in several classrooms and I saw that the children had learned so much in such a short time. It is amazing at how they listen, pay attention and respond so well to the directions of what is expected of them. The children are very happy while they are participating in this program. The teachers from the school that I observed were very pleased and impressed with the program as well as the behaviors their children have shown as a result of the program.