Mira Costa junior Capri Trozak is turning her passion for public speaking into something bigger. Camp Confidence is a tutoring business directed toward students who need extra help getting around the fear of public speaking.
Trozak, who’s been part of Costa’s nationally ranked Model United Nations program since freshman year, started Camp Confidence in 2023 to spread what she has learned with younger students in the South Bay.
“I discovered my passion for public speaking in first grade,” Trozak said. “I auditioned to be the narrator for a school play and ever since then I’ve tried my best to pursue this skill set!”
Camp Confidence offers private tutoring and small group lessons for middle schoolers and underclassmen. Trozak focuses on skills like speech writing, presentation skills, vocal modulation and one-on-one feedback.
“Whenever I teach students, the most important thing I highlight is that the fear of public speaking is universal,” said Capri Trozak. “The main lesson I want my students to take away is that courage comes from overcoming that feeling and no two voices are the same.”
Each lesson is built around helping students develop their own style. Classes are kept small and usually are around six to eight students, making sure everyone gets personalized feedback. Students also work together and learn from one another.
“When I first came to Mira Costa, almost all my finals and projects were some form of public speaking and as I became more involved in our community, I realized that public speaking is the most crucial skill you can have because it never goes away,” Trozak said. “My goal is to help middle-schoolers and High School underclassmen exercise that ability and better prepare them for the real-world.”
Public speaking shows up everywhere, from school assignments to everyday conversations. Through Camp Confidence, Trozak hopes to give students the basics they need to feel more comfortable speaking in front of others.
This summer, Trozak plans to extend Camp Confidence by launching a summer camp program to reach even more students. Camp Confidence’s summer program is a two week session consisting of lessons that lead up to a final presentation. Each lesson goes over a different aspect of public speaking. Trozak says how she teaches students everything they need to know about speech crafting, vocal flare, and attire to ensure their success as a presenter. After mastering these, she tasks them with a final presentation on any topic they would like. It can be persuasive, informative, or argumentative. Her goal is for her students to fully understand how to win an audience’s attention.
“During the school year, I prioritize one-on-one sessions and private tutoring and summer is an awesome opportunity for my business to help other students connect with one another,” Trozak said. “My business will also benefit from group-lessons as it gives me the chance to deepen my curriculum and give students the ability to learn from their peers.”
For more information to sign up, visit Camp Confidence’s website and their instagram @camp.confidence123.
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