NANTUCKET, MASS. (WHDH) - An educational program teaching kids stand-up comedy is now being offered free of charge to educators, schools, and youth organizations.
Stand Up and Learn was launched by comedian Kevin Flynn on Nantucket in the early 2000s as part of an effort to improve the mental health of teenagers.
The program is preparing for its 20th anniversary this summer with the Nantucket Comedy Festival, taking place from July 9-11 at venues including the Nantucket Performing Arts Center.
Flynn launched the program due to a series of teen suicides in the Nantucket community. It soon became the first stand-up comedy program for school-aged children.
“I read about a number of suicides, teenage suicides on Nantucket, and I kind of thought, what can I sort of do to help out?” Flynn said. “I decided to bring a bunch of my friends, comedians from Boston and New York, out to Nantucket. We went to the junior high school, the teen center, the high school, and we talked to the kids about comedy and writing their ideas down and their thoughts down and try to get up on stage and let them know that their views and their stories are important.”
Flynn said stand-up comedy teaches kids how to communicate, collaborate, and listen to others.
The program is available for free online.
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