Thomas has developed a standard formatted show that is normally presented by four jugglers, but always by at least two. The show moves through balls, rings and clubs, with magic tricks interspersed. Organizations who see the show are asked to make donations to the company, which uses the proceeds to fund trips to festivals 

Thomas said, "A lot of kids see that if their skills get good enough they can make money entertaining on their own, that's a good motivating factor. But it's tough to convince them that someone who can do three balls and entertain is more valuable to the club than someone who does six and is nervous about it." 

Dave Finnigan, the foremost name in youth juggling instruction for many years through Jugglebug and now Juggling for Success, says the key to maintaining the interest of most young people is levels of difficulty and recognition for achieving them. "If you approach it like a video game, giving them a challenge to master something that gets harder and harder, they'll respond," he said. 

Finnigan noted that there's a basic difference in young learners and adult learners. "Adults are excited to learn to juggle because they didn't expect to learn at their age. But for kids it's just another one of many things they can learn to do growing up. Once they learn to do the cascade they figure that's all there is to learn To keep them interested you have to set them on a progression path that's not only very straight, but illuminated with rewards." 

With that in mind, Juggling for Success instructors post juggling skill level charts on the "Wall of Fame" in their gym or classroom, writing students' names on the appropriate chart and moving them as students reach higher skill levels. Everyone gets their name on at least the beginner chart and then move up through scarf cascader, scarf master, ball cascader, ball master and more. The system also includes metal pins that students earn as they improve through each level. 

Another important part of the system is that students are not allowed to touch juggling balls until they have achieved the "master level with scarves, and can't touch rings until they are master balls jugglers. "Giving standards and keeping them is very important," Finnigan said. 

Juggling for Success involves students in performance from the very beginning, and takes the concept a step farther now by involving their parents. The program concludes its day at a school with an assembly in which students take to the stage to perform what they've learned during the day. That evening, students bring their parents back to school for a family juggling night presentation. During the first part of the show, students juggle on stage for their parents. Then students teach their parents to juggle for 15 minutes, and the evening concludes with the parents on stage demonstrating their new skills.

Juggling for Success claims that a structured program of juggling instruction can improve students' academic performance. That assertion is being tested in several places, including New York City where the Big Apple Circus offers a "Circus Arts in Education Program" twice a week for about 100 students in East Harlem. 

Students aged 8-18 are invited to the twice-a-week after school sessions, and they learn juggling of balls, clubs and diabolo from Russell Davis and Sky King. Guest instructors such as Barrett Felker and Tony Duncan have dropped by occasionally, too. 

Students rotate between two skills during each session, and every month they do a mini-performance in preparation for a big show each June. 

"The goal is discipline and positive enrichment, which we hope transfers to their school performance," said King. "I'm. big on saying they can't ever tell me 'I can't.' It's important for them to get positive reinforcement because they don't often get it at home or in school." 

Fifth grade teacher Kathi Mileti in Elyria, Ohio, didn't originally believe it, but now swears that juggling has, indeed, helped improve her students' academic performance. "Once they develop the pattern and learn how to concentrate and focus on it, it really helps them in the classroom," she said. 

Their improved self-esteem also carries over into their attitude toward academics, she asserts. Mileti and IJA member Madelyn Dinnerstein have supervised the Windsor Juggling Club for up to 50 fifth and sixth grade students at Windsor Elementary School for the past two years. 

The group set public performance as its goal almost immediately. In the first year they appeared in public three times, including a show in a mall in connection

with another community program. "Our kids performed there two days and found out quickly that being in front of an audience was great fun," said Mileti.