Academic Services
Student Advocacy
The combination of overcrowded classrooms and underpaid teachers often leads to an environment where teachers rarely have the time to take advantage of educational development opportunities on an individual student level. Growth 4 Life helps families to evaluate whether their student(s) is in the right place on their education path, increase the opportunities for cultivating a successful learning environment, and develop an individualized education plan. Student Advocacy includes a series of dialogues that is intended to positively influence decisions and performance, with the goal of strengthening the educational partnership between the student, parents, teachers, and other invested stakeholders.
Growth 4 Life’s model of “Empowerment through Advocacy” consists of answering two key questions:
- Do you believe there is a disconnect between your student’s abilities and their performance?
- Are there concerns about your student’s learning environment?
Learning Styles
Everyone learns differently, and the identification of a students’ Learning Style (visual, auditory, reading/writing and kinesthetic) can provide valuable information on the most effective environments and approaches for every student. A student who understands his or her learning styles is more empowered to effectively communicate and interact with their teachers on how they learn best. Increased knowledge in this area will help them maximize their abilities, along with becoming an active participant in the ownership and partnership of their education.
Study Skills
Study skills allow students to use different strategies to efficiently learn, which play a very important role to success in school. Effective study skills are essential for unlocking students’ true abilities to perform at their highest level and are useful for learning throughout one’s life. These are the key skill sets areas Growth 4 Life helps students develop:
- Exam Prep
- Note Taking Skills
- Time Management
- Organization
- Writing Strategies
- Study Skills
- Reading Strategies
College Prep Planning
Planning for college can be an overwhelming process. With so many colleges to choose from, where do you begin? The amount of information available can be intimidating, which could lead to lack of action and struggles creating or executing a plan to find the college that best fits you. To help students prepare for this next stage of life, Growth 4 Life focuses on these main topic areas:
- Importance of major and career exploration
- Understanding admission and testing requirements
- Importance of finding the “best fit”
- Financial Aid/Cost
Student-Athlete College Prep & Academic Support
Being a college student-athlete is not as easy or glamorous as most people believe it to be. The process of choosing the college that will best fit your academic, athletic, career, and social aspirations can be challenging. It is very important to have a plan and know how to gather all of the information that will allow you to make the best decision and present you with the best opportunities to live a very successful life. Growth 4 Life has identified these topics to explore and review with prospective student-athletes and their parents:
- Understanding college athletics is big business
- Identifying & creating your brand
- Understanding NCAA & college admission requirements
- Importance of finding the “Best Fit”
- Major exploration and career exploration
- Preparing for official & unofficial visits
- Academic, Disability and Campus Resources