Supporting Youth through Circus
This year marks the 40th anniversary of My Nose Turns Red, and we are grateful for the incredible support we’ve received over the years from donors like you. Your commitment and generosity have helped us to stay true to our mission to cultivate a supportive environment that inspires youth to challenge themselves, develop life skills, and engage audiences through the art of circus.
Over the past 40 years, we have taught and inspired over 10,000 students through after-school programs, summer camps, and year-round classes and entertained over 1,600,000 people with performances. Through partnerships with organizations like Transformations CDC, DCCH, Cincinnati Parks, their neighborhood councils, and the Community Learning Center Institute, we bring social circus programs to underserved groups, including Hispanic immigrants, adults with developmental disabilities, and children with social issues. We have many stories of how our circus programs have impacted students over the years by building their confidence, making them feel included, and helping them to persist and overcome obstacles. Some even became performing professionals!
We are excited to extend our reach to more underserved communities in this milestone year. As a nonprofit organization, 34% of our funding comes from local and national grants, 46% from tuition, and 21% from individual donations. Your gift will directly support:
- Scholarships for students who may not be able to afford circus classes or afterschool programs
- New equipment to ensure that our students have the right tools to build their skills & confidence
- Outreach efforts to make our program available to even more young people in our communities.
We are reaching out today to ask for your continued support and to encourage you to increase your annual donation to celebrate our 40th anniversary
Your donation, no matter the size, is vital to keeping our programs accessible and to helping young people in the Greater Cincinnati area thrive through the transformative power of circus arts.
We appreciate your support for My Nose Turns Red in this milestone year and hope to make a lasting impact on the lives of our students. Thank you for your generosity – together, we can help more young people discover their potential, challenge themselves, and build the confidence they need to succeed.
Warm regards,
Jean St. John and Steve Roenker
Co-founders of My Nose Turns Red Youth Circus
My Nose Turns Red is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Tax number 31-1203908.
Become a Corporate Sponsor
Support youth circus by becoming a sponsor, buying an ad in our Youth Circus Extravaganza or supporting a Circus in the Parks performance this summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Social circus programs that allow us to reach new students who would not otherwise have the means to pay.
- Adding new coaches to accommodate a growing range of skill levels.
- Circus Youth in Action, a creative youth leadership development program.
- Search for a permanent space that will serve the organization’s current and future needs.
- Giving our students to opportunity to showcase their circus skills in the annual Youth Circus Extravaganza, a full-scale theatrical production
- Teens in the Circus Youth in Action leaderships team, most of whom have been in our program for five or more years, are learning how to coach our younger students and providing interactive workshops and performances in the community. With the help of Imelda EMenaker, EdD, our educational consultant, we are better able to measure their growing empathy, creativity, collaboration, teamwork, and connection — essential life skills that will serve them well for the rest of their lives.
We accept donations by check or through Paypal.
Yes, My Nose Turns Red is always looking for volunteers. Please reach out to. . .
My Nose Turns Red conducts weekly after-school circus classes in the Greater Cincinnati Area both in-person and online. After-school classes are led by director Steve Roenker and circus teen apprentices.
Free after-school circus classes (in-person) are offered for Roberts Paidea Academy and through funding through the National Endowment for the Arts, Ohio Arts Council, ArtsWave, and SC Ministries. Please contact us for a scholarship for any of our classes if they are eligible for free and/or reduced lunch. My Nose Turns Red believes everyone should have the opportunity to take circus classes.
Contact My Nose Turns Red to discuss having an after-school circus program at your school.
Check out our About Us page and read our Annual Report.
