Bio

If you listen closely, I will reveal a secret well hidden, a struggle well driven, a story well written. It is the story of a seed that sprouted like a plant, blossomed like a flower, and like a tree, acrobatically bent itself out of shape just to remain in the light. Attracted to positive energy, Janice represents the seed, the flower and the tree. As a seed in the womb, Janice was already making plans to make it out of the dark and into the light. Once out, she sprouted like a plant and began to blossom into an array of artistic displays. She has faced many obstacles, and triumphed over with the simple practice of perseverance. It was this concept that strengthened and rooted her to become as durable as a tree and withstand life’s most formidable whirlwinds. Even when predicaments stormed in hard enough to knock her tree down, and she was all alone with no one around to hear the sound, Janice made sure that what was once lost would some how be found. Multi-talented, the heroine prodigy found herself onstage at the tender age of five taking the lead role as “Rudolph” in the childhood play and story book “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” Performing lead roles would be nothing new to Janice as she grew to take initiative in life’s live plots. Writing the script to her own scenes, she always took advantage of the spotlight as a means of entertaining and informing audiences through creative arts. Janice attended Miami Norland Senior Highschool where she was an active participant in various extra curricular activities including the Marching Band (alto saxophonists), Speech and Debate, FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), President of the Afro-American History club, President of the Drama club, Christian rapper for the Gospel choir, and writer for the school paper. Janice has also written for the South Florida Newsweek ( a local community publication). In 1998, Janice was awarded in the Theodore Gibson Oratorical Project for the Senior High Division for writing and performing a self written monologue winning first place in the original oratory category. Making more than a name and everlasting fame for herself, Janice left Miami Norland ( after controversial issues stemming from administrative reforms) and received her diploma at American Senior High school as a millennium graduate (class of 2000). She went on pursuing her poetry, short stories, speeches, essays, and spoken word lyrics participating in the company of various community organizations. She traveled with the NAACP-ACTSO program, the Live Poets Society, and Ricky Norris of WEDR’S 99Jamz putting on stage shows for major and local events including the MLK (Martin Luther King Jr.) parade, Arabian Knights Festival, Roots festival, Mango festival etc, just to name a few. Shortly after, Janice’s list of talents and abilities landed her a full time scholarship and Pell Grant at the New World School of the Performing Arts in Downtown Miami in 2001. The new achievement was short lived after a tragic run in with a Wackenhut Security officer at the MLK (Martin Luther King) Metro Rail Station left her recovering from foul blows to the face and back as she attempted to board the public transportation system on her way to school. The female protagonist fell into a depression bringing her to temporary standstill (a law suit was awarded three years later). In January 2006, Janice stepped back on the scene entering the warm and welcoming gates of the Miami Job Corps Center, taking a twist in her customary career path enrolling in the Accounting Vocational trade. It was there that Janice got her chance again and this time she finished all the way to the end. Graduating at the top of her class, Janice walked the stage as Valedictorian. She was the sole winner for the school’s Black History Bowl Competition, by answering the most questions correctly she was financially rewarded and culturally gratified. She took on a variety of roles participating in numerous extracurricular activities including the journalist for the school’s newsletter. She performed in many of the school’s talent shows produced by Blazing Entertainment, implementing lyrical testimonies projected towards optimistic concepts. She recently teamed with the ADMIT Program (Alternate Directions Music Industry Training) and recorded a motivational song for the Florida Marlins entitled “Swing for the Fences,” encouraging students to stay in school. She took part in a collaborative project by the University of Miami and Youth Expressions, both as a member and certified HIV/AIDS trainer, performing plays covering areas such as sexuality, self-esteem, drug/alcohol prevention, and similar topics, with an organization called FLOW (Future Leaders of the World), a healthy and positive public service messaging by and for youth through urban performing and visual arts. She received numerous requests to perform for the church homes of her Job Corps Instructors and staff members where she presented inspirational self written speeches to the youth, the elder, and her peers. Janice also served on the SGA (Student Government Association) as the Reporter, traveling to Washington, DC competing on a national level for the 10TH Annual ResCare Leadership Conference at the Galludet University, with fifty other Job Corps Centers, putting on an breathtaking presentation on the subject of HIV/AIDS, bringing home the third place award in the name of Miami Job Corps. Janice took part in many community service projects and was pleased to entertain the city of Miami Gardens with a self written speech which was presented in the presence of prominent people of the city including Mayor Shirley Gibson who was deeply moved by the words of the young intellectual trainee. Janice has since joined the Jaycees Miami Gardens Junior Chamber of Commerce, under the direction of the organizations President and City of Miami Gardens district three Councilman Andre Williams. She was employed by Liberty Tax as a Tax Preparer in 2006-2007 at which gave full accreditation to the Miami Job Corps Center for her accomplishments. She has currently launched her own publishing company “ICE POPPS PUBLISHING INC” and has upcoming projects lined up for the new year 2008.