Helping Their Daughter Find Her Place
When Lauryn Hughes first heard of Xceed Anywhere (XA), she was excited to learn more about the school’s personalized learning plans and one-on-one teaching methodology. After looking at several different schools and delivery formats, she felt Xceed Anywhere’s education model would benefit and meet the needs of her daughter, Riley.
What she did not expect to find was an overwhelming feeling of relief.
“After speaking to the Xceed admissions counselor, I broke down in tears,” Lauryn said. “For the first time, I felt heard and understood as a parent. I knew that Riley would be supported at Xceed Anywhere.”
Social Justice Warrior
Riley, who attended a private Christian school for several years, initially thrived in her school environment. But as she got older and formed her own opinions and beliefs, particularly around social justice topics, she started to get picked on at school.
“One of the most difficult things to a teenager is to stand up for what you believe is right and to put those beliefs out there,” expressed Lauryn. “She is a social justice warrior, and as parents, we’ve taught her to back up her beliefs. But when other kids bullied and taunted her for it, she began having anxiety and panic attacks, which became more frequent in 8th grade.”
Remote Learning Challenges
Shortly before the pandemic hit, Riley’s school allowed her to move to a hybrid schedule, taking some classes on-ground and others online. This initially worked well for Riley, but after her school went fully remote during the pandemic, Lauryn noticed Riley’s anxiety became much worse. Additionally, her new lessons were not engaging, as teachers simply posted their lessons and videos online.
“That format was not working for Riley, so we started looking for another option,” Lauryn explained. “We wanted her to know that her well-being was our number one priority, and we weren’t just going to put her in any school. It took some time to find the right fit for her because we rejected the cookie-cutter school philosophy that tells kids they can only be successful in the traditional model of education.”
Finding Her Place
Although Lauryn was initially attracted to Xceed Anywhere’s individualized model of education that is customized for each student, she needed to be reassured that Xceed would be flexible and supportive of Riley’s needs, strengths and goals.
“Riley, her dad and I initially video chatted with Head of School Betty Norton, and after that call, Riley was 100% onboard with switching to Xceed Anywhere,” shared Lauryn. “Riley felt heard and understood; she was excited to get started.”
After only a few months at Xceed, both Lauryn and Riley are thrilled with what they’ve experienced.
“The teachers are fantastic and incredibly supportive,” said Lauryn. “Mrs. Norton personally reaches out to see if the school can help Riley or if there’s anything they can do to support her. They recognize every child is different and that they all learn in various ways. For some, like Riley, it can be a process, but the Xceed staff understand this. She is not penalized for being herself.”
Riley, who is a gifted writer and loves anime, is considering a career as a herpetologist, but is also interested in continuing with her passion for social causes.
“I want parents to know that there are other schooling options out there than what we’ve been shown as the default,” Lauryn stated. “Xceed Anywhere not only accepts Riley, they celebrate her. What more can a parent ask for?”