Tim Halperin '10 and the Leaders

Recording artist Tim Halperin '10 visited the North Texas Leadership Academy in Keller this week to talk about the connection between music and poetry. He also shared about how he's used his talents to help Kidd's Kids, a nonprofit organization that enriches the lives of children with special medical needs.

Halperin, who once advanced to among the top 12 on the 10th season of "American Idol," performed the first-ever Concert for Kidd's Kids on Thursday at the House of Blues in Dallas. Later, Halperin tweeted that he met his own hero Ben Folds.  

At NTLA, the rising star singer helped the school kick off its first Project Based Learning unit, according to Holly Megan Thompson '03, head of school. The school is following a yearlong theme "NTLA Unplugged," in which students will study famous poets, different styles of poetry, including music. 

"Tim was great with the students," Thompson said. "He's an inspiration to them as they write the poetry and as they choose what organizations they want to assist with their quarterly service projects this school year."

The students will showcase the final product of their first unit on Aug. 29, when they turn the school into a coffee house for a community reading.

Founded in 2012, NTLA is a pre-kindergarten through 12th grade private school dedicated to serving bright and gifted students. The school's innovative and rigorous curriculum challenges each student individually as they progress.

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