Two youth program directors are teaming up to form a new organization — combining literacy with wrestling.
Tevin Studdard founded the Literacy Entrepreneurship and Dreams — or LEAD — program last year. Through the program, Studdard helps children write their own books. Once published, the books are available for purchase on Amazon.
Brandon Wright is a wrestler who has competed at the international level and is a 2025 Indiana High School Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee. He runs Wright Way Wrestling, a wrestling club aimed at giving underprivileged youth opportunities to improve life skills on and off the mat.
Longtime friends, the two have joined forces to launch LEAD the Wright Way this fall at Frederick Douglass Park. Participants will spend the first half of each class with Studdard working on writing and literacy skills. The second half will be spent practicing wrestling with Wright.
They hope the free program will introduce youth to a new sport while creating lifelong learners.
“We have the chance to not only grow the sport,” Studdard said, “but also work out our strongest muscle: our brain.”
Children write their own books in Tevin Studdard’s LEAD program at Frederick Douglass Park in Indianapolis. Credit: Provided photo/Tevin Studdard
Wright said he plans to incorporate a lot of the vocabulary Studdard uses in the classroom in the wrestling room.
“Strong words like focus, determination, discipline and goal setting,” Wright said. “I think some of these kids aren’t familiar with this terminology, so it’s important for me to also connect it from Tevin’s program to the wrestling mat.”
Studdard and Wright also hope the program can help curb some of the teen violence in Indianapolis.
“We know adversities are going to come,” Wright said. “We’re hoping that LEAD the Wright Way can be a vehicle for them to get themselves out of their environment and into a more positive situation.”
LEAD the Wright Way is free and open to youth ages 4 to 18. The first workshop series will begin Sept. 30 at Frederick Douglass Park, 1616 E. 25th St. A young author book fair and wrestling showcase will take place at the end of the year.
For more information or to register, email Tevin Studdard at tevinstuddardshow@gmail.com.
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Mirror Indy reporter Darian Benson covers east Indianapolis. Contact her at 317-397-7262 or darian.benson@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @HelloImDarian or on Bluesky @darianbenson.bsky.social.
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