The Poise Entertainment Education Company is a non-profit organization with corporate offices located in Cleveland, Ohio. Veteran Educator Dr. Jerome Smith founded POISE in 1987 as a production company dedicated to teaching youth in the Greater Cleveland area about the dramatic arts, multimedia arts production and a vast array of career opportunities available in the field of entertainment. Through attendance, at professional POISE productions, youth have been able to interact directly with professionals, entertainers and the individuals behind-the-scenes which make the production come to life.
Following a successful 28 year career as a classroom teacher both in Cleveland Public and Birmingham schools, Dr. Smith was inspired to create a program that introduces you to the skills planning and hard work which is necessary to pursue a career in the entertainment field. The program titled “You Can Do It” is the first of its kind in the United States. It is designed to provide students with information regarding the various careers available in the entertainment industry via classroom instruction from professionals currently working in the field. The “You Can Do It” program reflects the founders’ commitment to crime prevention and education services for youth and the strengthening of communities in the City of Cleveland.
