Communications Curriculum
At Lakewood Catholic Academy, we believe that confident communicators become compassionate leaders. In an age driven by collaboration, innovation, and influence, students need more than academic knowledge – they need the ability to articulate ideas, express empathy, and speak with purpose. Our unique Communications Curriculum nurtures these skills year by year, preparing students to lead with clarity, confidence, and character. While we prioritize communication at all grade levels and with a variety of programs, the following are some of our signature experiences…
Click a grade level to learn more!
Living Wax Museum
Skills Developed: Public speaking, research, character portryal
Students step into history as they embody-influential figures from the past. Through costume, speech, and presentation, they bring these icons to life in a museum-style setting. This immersive project strengthens public speaking skills, deepens historical understanding, and builds student confidence as they present to peers, parents, and community guests.
Lemonade Stand Sales
Skills Developed: Persuasive speaking, teamwork, basic marketing
Student-led pop-up businesses where creativity meets commerce. Students design, market, and pitch their own lemonade stands — learning to speak persuasively and work as a team, all to benefit local and international charities.
Poetry Café + Christmas Entrepreneurship Market
Skills Developed: Expressive communication, audience awareness, financial literacy
At the Poetry Café, students take the stage in a cozy coffee shop setting to present famous poetry, developing vocal tone and public presence.
The Christmas Entrepreneurship Market transforms students into young CEOs, practicing customer engagement and product presentation during our annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.
Podcasting + Arguably the Best Debate + The Great Lake Shake
Skills Developed: Scriptwriting, critical thinking, improvisation
Saints Sound Off Podcasting empowers students to craft audio stories and interview each other, building narrative and technical skills.
Arguably the Best Debate challenges them to research, reason, and present persuasive arguments.
The Great Lake Shake, our signature soft skills competition, encourages professional communication, networking, and polished delivery.
Prophetic Voices + Saints Start-Up Entrepreneurship Program
Skills Developed: Advocacy, entrepreneurial mindset, moral reasoning
Prophetic Voices inspires students to channel modern-day changemakers, delivering speeches that echo the messages of justice, service, and faith.
In Saints Start-Up, students pitch business ideas to talented industry professionals — combining mission-driven innovation with real-world presentation skills.
The Amazing Race + LCA Talks
Skills Developed: Global awareness, storytelling, TED-style public speaking
The Amazing Race takes students on a journey throughout the City of Cleveland where team communication is the key to success across a variety of academic challenges.
LCA Talks is our capstone presentation event — modeled after TED Talks — where students share transformative insights from their International Baccalaureate Community Projects, which are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
"92% of hiring managers ranked soft skills – especially communication – as equal to or more important than technical skills. In a rapidly changing economy, the ability to articulate ideas, solve problems collaboratively, and lead with empathy is what sets candidates apart."
"Communication skills will be the most in-demand soft skills through 2030 and beyond."
"Communication is the foundation of every relationship – from classrooms to boardrooms to communities. Teaching it early isn't optional; it's essential."
"The No. 1 skill employers look for when hiring is communication – both written and verbal."
