OWNER OF SMARTMINDZ, LLC.

SPEECH/LEADERSHIP/ACTING/WRITING COACH

Florence Lubinus, BSc., MSc., MS.

CC, CL Toastmasters

Florence Lubinus is a talented and passionate public speaking trainer for kids. Her primary goal is to help students and children learn the art of effective communication, a much neglected area in children’s education. Simply writing an essay or report and reading, memorizing it, and presenting it in class is a far cry from what true public speaking is. She sincerely believes that children can organize and carefully plot out their speeches to give a natural-sounding and sincere presentation and/or extemporaneous speech.

Florence has been actively teaching and educating children since she was in high school, where she started tutoring. Her skills range from acting, elocution, debating, and public speaking. She has won several awards and recognition in these fields in the US as well as abroad. Her experience ranges from working as a sales consultant to conducting research in the areas of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry to owning a business that focused on early childhood enrichment programs. She is also a Kindermusik-trained educator.

She actively participates in Toastmasters International meetings as well as judges at the interschool and National Forensics Debate and Speech contests. She has organized city-wide speech contests and has given several presentations to high school students in Coppel as well as to MOMs groups on the benefits of learning to speak before audiences at a young age. 

As the owner of Smartmindz, LLC -- established in 2007 -- she has started her own communications program for kids ages 5-13. Florence has conducted camps, workshops, and full-length classes for Lead On Kids!™ -- a leadership program -- Smarten Up Kids!™ -- a manners and etiquette program -- and Act Up Kids!™ -- a drama and theater program. At write On Kids!-- a creative writing program and Speak Up Kids!™ -- a public speaking program -- she coaches children in different locations in the Frisco, Plano, Richardson, Coppell, and Irving areas.

Through Smartmindz, Florence coaches executives who are interested in improving their presentation and interaction styles.  She uses a personal coaching style that helps adults communicate complex materials during presentations, in meetings, or in any global forum in a manner that is easily understood and effectively communicated.

Training specialties: vocal awareness, voice projection, using proper breath and vocal expression usage. Intercultural communication. Informative, persuasive, and storytelling skills. Creative writing and college essay prep.

LEADERSHIP, ACTING, & DEBATE INSTRUCTOR

Darci McFarland, M.A. (Women’s Studies -- Dec 2014), B.A. (Sociology)

Darci McFarland is a teacher, graduate student, and community activist. She is currently earning her Master’s degree in Women’s Studies at Texas Woman’s University. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Biology from Arkansas Tech University in 2012.

She has several years of teaching/tutoring experience in various academic fields, including: Cellular Biology, Statistics, Sociology, Math, Science, and Robotics. For the past year, she has taught K-5th graders in Math/Science/Robotics workshops with the goal of expanding their creativity and promoting experimental learning. She strongly believes in the importance of getting students to think outside of the box and make their creations come to life.

Darci started developing her leadership skills as early as high school where she attended leadership conferences and held leadership positions in various extra-curricular activities, including: Beta Club Project Manager, Captain of Robotics, Prom Committee, and Organizations Editor of the Yearbook Staff. In college, she was the Vice President of SURFACE, along with being an active member of several other organizations, and she is currently the Secretary of the Women’s Studies Graduate Student Organization at Texas Woman’s University. In addition to her leadership roles in these organizations, she has had etiquette training and does community activist work geared towards social justice. She has organized protests, rallies, and benefit concerts in order to raise awareness about social justice causes and give back to the community. Most recently, she hosted an Art & Activism benefit concert called Femme Fest that celebrated women artists in the community. All of the funds raised at Femme Fest went to Denton County Friends of the Family to help struggling women in the community.

She has presented both undergraduate and graduate research at multiple academic conferences, including the following: the Association of Women in Psychology’s 2011 National Conference, the University of North Texas 2013 Student Conference, and she has been accepted to present her research at the National Women’s Studies Association’s 2013 National Conference in November.

Darci is passionate about teaching and inspiring her students to be active participants in their education. With Acting, Movie-Making, and Leadership classes through SmartMINDZ Communication Programs, she hopes to encourage students to further their own leadership skills in a creative, fun, and educational way.

LEADERSHIP, SPEECH AND WRITING  LEAD INSTRUCTOR

Eric Pomposelli M.S. (Biology-- May 2012), B.S. (Biology)

Eric Pomposelli’s background in biology, specifically environmental and ecological biology, has not deterred him from enjoying working with children of all ages to educate and guide them in support of their own quest for knowledge.

 

Eric Pomposelli has been a camp counselor with the Audubon Society, Austin Nature and Science Center, and Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch. He is a tutor with WyzAnt and tutors a variety of subjects including SAT/ACT prep. In his spare time, he enjoys drawing, painting, and writing as he regularly participates in spoken word open mic events to showcase his very own poetry.

 

Eric absolutely loves animals! He has found that many children have an innate affinity to some animals and he uses his personal experiences to entertain and create connections with children. He enjoys coordinating and conducting educational programs that focus on the conservation side of wildlife.