Igniting the Genius Within

By Lauren Antoine

Sarasota Scene is pleased to publish articles written by students at Ringling College of Art and Design. This is part of a collaborative program with creative writing instructor Sylvia Whitman to provide real life experiences to her students, many of whom will undoubtedly be our writers of tomorrow!  

When teens usually think about education, schools and colleges usually come to mind. With Sarasota being the home a variety of educational platforms, how can we get teens to be active outside of the classrooms? Thanks to Melanie Thomas, the founder of the nonprofit Greatness Beyond Measure Inc (GBM), teens have been able to express themselves in a variety of ways. GBM’s mission is to “give empowerment for life, believe it, achieve it, and ignite the genius within.”

GBM has a variety of wholesome events and activities that are designed to enhance academic development for teens and even young adults since its establishment in 2008. The activities provided are: The GBM Idol Talent Showcase, Stomp the Violence Dance Off, the GBM Shark Tank Pitch, GBM Scholarship & Internship Expo, and many more.

One teen in particular describes his experience with Greatness Beyond Measure: “I first was introduced to GBM through my friend as we saw one of their events happening on the balcony of our library [Ringling College of Art and Design]. I was interested to join, and asked Melanie what we could do to be a part of the program. Ever since that day I’ve tried to be in all the programs and have grown tremendously! I’ve learned to express myself in ways I never have before, and now I’m planning to show my business idea in front of other people at GBM’s Shark Tank. I’m just thankful I got to be part of Greatness Beyond Measure – it’s exactly what the name implies!”

More than 300 teens have participated in GBM’s events throughout the year, and over a thousand have been positively impacted since its establishment. The teens involved aren’t just from Sarasota, but from cities like Miami, Chicago, Atlanta, and even Dallas.

“I’ve always said if I could just help one person, somebody, somewhere while being a part or exposed to Greatness Beyond Measure, and spark something inside of them, then you know it’s worth it,” says founder Melanie Thomas.

Community partners and sponsors like Ringling College of Art and Design, BMW of Sarasota, Microsoft, the City of Sarasota, Funducation, Keith DuBose, Matthew Eastmoore Law Firm, Trinity Christian Fellowship, Semkhor Productions, Hank Battie, and Commit Marketing all help keep this organization up and running. With the assistance of these sponsors and partners, GBM is dedicated to supporting teens in growing outside of a classroom environment, and into the community, making Sarasota the best location to gain not only a great tan, but an educational experience that’s hard to compare.