About Trenton Circus Squad
We inspire youth to take big leaps in life!
Proudly based in Trenton, and the only social circus in New Jersey, we engage youth in free after-school and summer circus arts education.
Serving Trenton and surrounding areas, our Squad Members reach thousands of youth and families throughout the state with educational workshops, public performances, and summer residencies.
TCS programs are free for all participants, all year!
Photo credit: Camden Community Partnership, Avi Steinhardt
Woohoo! What an amazing year! Trenton Circus Squad made great leaps forward by charting an organizational path that includes growth for increased impact. From launching the Big Top Tour in Camden to creating a new three-year strategic plan, we are poised to reach new heights.
We are proud that our levels of service this year exceeded pre-pandemic levels. At the Camden Waterfront this summer, thousands of community members delighted in exhilarating performances and workshops. In Trenton, we expanded our outreach to even more schools and partners.
As we continue to learn and grow together, we remain grateful for a supportive community of donors and partners who make our work possible. Renewed funding from major partners helped advance our work in Trenton and beyond.
With this report, we invite you to “Step Right Up!” and learn more about our recent work and impact. We encourage you to reach out and connect with us to support New Jersey’s only social circus.
Thank you for supporting the transformational power of circus arts. Together, we can continue to promote positive youth engagement.
Adriana Abizadeh
Board Chair
Message from the Board Chair
Our Team
Board of Trustees
Adriana Abizadeh, Chair
Kelly Ganges, Vice-Chair
Michael Shapiro, Treasurer
Michele Russo, Secretary
Kieanna Childs Alexander
Elizabeth Borland
Eric Geoffrey
Anne Hoppenot
Chanelle Williams Lester
Ayanna McKay
Mussa Sanoe
Kimberly de los Santos
Ermine Smith
Christian Wallace
William Watson
Staff
Thomas von Oehsen, Executive Director
Karen Ladd, Lead Coach
Nichelle Hill, Director of Development
Regina Mundy, Director of Operations
Kordell Garland, Coach
Lori Troilo, Human Resources
Andre Thomas, Life Skills Coach
Bilal Halley, Jr. Coach
Breanna Moreland, Jr. Coach
Cam von Oehsen, Jr. Coach
Jamaya Blount, Intern
Isaiah Mitchell, Intern
Tyquan Williams, Intern
TCS expands its impact through the Big Top Tent
Trenton and other area youth delighted audiences with 11 public performances to sold out crowds. When they weren’t performing, the Squad was running morning and afternoon workshops, teaching circus skills to Camden youth.
The Big Top Jersey Tour builds on the success of the summer traveling residencies for the past few years to Camden, Asbury Park and Newark. In addition to performing, Trenton youth have opportunities to build additional skills by learning aspects of a traveling residency from concession to operations.
- Building community and partnerships
- Assisting with the raising and taking down of the big top tent
- Engaging ~ 3,000 youth and audience members
- Expanding partnerships with youth organizations
- Living in dormitories on the Rutgers campus, the Squad had a taste of college life
- Learning to work with the media with interviews and live TV morning show appearances
- Learning customer service skills
Highlights
Time lapse video of Big Top Tent installation at Cooper's Poynt Park in Camden (Credit: Steve Sarafian)
Photo credit: Camden Community Partnership, Avi Steinhardt
Trenton youth will continue to have the opportunity to travel around the state with the Big Top Jersey Tour making two week stops - not only in Camden, but also Asbury Park.
The goal is to have the three-city tour Camden, Asbury Park and Newark in place by summer 2024.
The Big Top Tent Summer
TCS By The Numbers
Workshop Participants & Audiences
39.5%
2.7%
20.5%
12.2%
7.6%
6.7%
5.8%
5%
Income
62.8%
14.7%
11.5%
10%
1%
Expenses
Corporations, Foundations & Grants
Abrams Foundation |
Amazon Smile |
Amon Galbraith Fund |
Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation |
Burke Foundation |
Byrd-Borland Fundation |
Callaway Henderson Sotheby's Realty |
Carter Rowe Foundation |
CBIZ Borden Perlman |
Church & Dwight |
City of Trenton |
Curtis W. McGraw Foundation |
Grunin Foundation |
Janssen Pharmaceuticals |
Jewish Community Foundation |
John Wallace Memorial Fund |
Lear and Pannepacker, LLC |
Mary C. Roebling Foundation |
Mary Owen Borden Foundation |
Mercer County Division of Youth Services |
Midjersey Center for Economic Development |
Network for Good |
NJM Insurance |
PACF Arts and Culture Recovery Fund |
PACF Community Impact Fund |
Paul Hastings LLP |
Philip S. Harper Foundation |
PNC Bank |
Princeton Area Community Foundation |
Reder Engineering, Inc. |
Roma Bank |
Rotary Club of Trenton NJ |
Stark and Stark Attorneys at Law |
The George H. Sands and Estelle M. Sands Foundation |
Trenton Arts Endowment |
Partners
Achievers Charter Progam |
Boys and Girls Club of Camden County |
Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County |
Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County |
Boys and Girls Club of Newark |
Camden Community Partnership Inc. |
Camden County |
Center For Family Services, Camden |
Christina Seix Academy |
Circadium |
City of Trenton |
Collingswood Public Schools |
Corner House |
CURE Arena |
CYO Mercer County |
Fennelli Design |
Grounds for Sculpture |
Healthy Relationships, Healthy Choices |
Henry Austin Health Center |
HomeFront |
Isles |
Lewis Center for the Arts |
McCarter Theater |
Mercer County Community College |
Mercer County One Stop Career Center |
Mercer County Park Comission |
Mercer County Prosecutor's Office |
Millhill Child and Family Development |
Monmouth University |
NJEDA |
Our Lady of Mount Carmel School |
Pace Center for Civic Engagement |
Philadelphia School of Circus Arts |
Princeton Friends School |
Princeton Public Schools |
Princeton University |
Princeton YMCA |
Princeton-Blairstown Center |
Robert Perry Video Editing |
Rutgers University Camden |
Rutgers University Newark |
Steve Sarafian |
The City of Camden |
The College of New Jersey |
The Father Center |
The Neighborhood Center in Camden |
The Watershed Institute |
Trenton African American Pride |
Trenton Area Soup Kitchen |
Trenton Health Team |
Trenton Peer Leaders |
Trenton Police Department |
Urban Promise |
Waldorf School of Princeton |
Donors
Adriana Abizadeh |
Anne Akers |
Barbara Aldofova |
Farran Ames |
Peirson Backes |
Eric Belcher |
Zoe Brookes and Alastair Binnie |
Lisa Boulanger |
Brogann and Jon Bowden |
Teri Boyd and Sasha Hemon |
Juanita Brooks |
James Burke |
Jessica Burnett |
Brandi Carr |
Gene Cascone |
Ahmed Chabboubi |
Ann Chapman |
Francis Craig |
Emily Croll and Clifford Zink |
Mara Connolly-Taft |
Jeesica Corrigan |
Alex and Doug Davis |
Kimberly de los Santos |
Robert Denby |
Jon Erikson |
Gosho and Caren Falco |
Mona Fixdal |
Quadesha Funches |
Paula Basile Flory |
Neizhma Francis |
Z'yahne Funches |
Tasha and Mark Gajewski |
Erin Galbraith and Joe Amon |
Kyle and James Galbraith |
Victoria Gammino |
Kelvin Ganges |
Deborah Gartenberg |
Alison Gerber |
Rachel Gray and Joel Studebaker |
Jennifer Guy |
Jane Hadley |
John Hatch |
William David Henderson |
Maricel Hermann |
Karen Hernandez-Granzen |
Quincy Hill |
Anne and Herve Hoppenot |
Ashley Huitz |
Raquel Ince |
Kimberly Jingoli and Anthony Chiurco |
Barbara Kaplan |
Megan Keeney |
Lestiel Kelly |
Georgia Koening |
Matthew Kohut |
Rick Lazarick |
Chanelle Lester |
Min Li |
Ronnie and Andrew Lowenstein |
Amy and Teresa Loux |
Andrew Lichstein |
Jenny Ludmer |
Bonnie Lynne |
Nancy and Duncan MacMillian |
Jana Manning |
Amy Mayer and Daniel Oscar |
Elizabeth Mayer |
Florence McAuliffe |
Annalivia McCarthy |
Major McCullough |
Ayanna McKay |
Julie Meyers |
June Millington |
Robert Monsour |
Isadora Mota |
Rosalind and Thomas Muir |
James Neu |
Xoe Nunez |
Ana Obika |
Scot Pannepacker |
Drew Panson |
Tari Pantaleo |
Winston Peloso |
Danielle and Jeremy Perlman |
Maureen Penn and Thomas Burkart |
Nancy Podeszwa |
Laura Poll |
Joy Power |
Melissa Printon |
Yareliz Puebla |
Jennifer and Scott Raison |
Josuha Raymond |
Emily Reeves |
Bonnie Bassler and Todd Reichart |
Belinda and Ferrill Roll |
Andrew Ross |
Donna and Allan Rubin |
Michele Russo |
Sarah Ryan |
Kenichi Sakamoto |
Jessica Scarborough |
Stacey Schlosser |
Dodi and Frank Schmidt |
Wendy Kaczerski and Roger Shatzkin |
Rachelle Simon |
Jennifer Slutter |
Ermine Smith |
Thelma Soc |
Jessica Stevens and Stephen Pollard |
Andre Thomas |
Calvin Thomas |
Carolyn Tighe |
Jackie Tillman |
Peter and Caroline Travers |
Lori and Tad Troilo |
Michele Turansick |
Nelida Valetin and Jeff Vega |
Imajia Vazquez |
Robert and Kimberly Vogel |
Bill and Helen von Oehsen |
Thomas and Jane von Oehsen |
Chris Wallace |
John and Majorie Wallace |
Shari and Steve Washburn |
Will Wauters |
Silvia Weyerbrock and Sanjeez Arora |
Tyrone Williams |
Kate, Duke, Woods and Harriet Wiser |
Kathy Wooley |
Doretta Wright-Simmons |
Caroline Wylie |
Maureen and Frank Yandrisevits |
Anja Zimmerman |
Julie Zimmerman and Adam Ratner |
Thank you!