Early Success Stories - 2001-2002

* Three students graduated this year. Two of them are concurrent college students, (meaning we helped them gain early admission to college, while they were matriculating in high school). Both of them are on the honor roll at their college; both are simultaneously receiving high school diplomas, and preparing to begin their junior year in college.

* Ten year-old "T.J." enrolled in our school in mid-January. In February, when he was tested, we realized T.J. could not read the word ‘the’. A gifted self- taught musician (he accompanies our choir on drums and keyboard) he had acquired all the skills for “faking it,” and either had deceived his public school teachers for five years, or had been passed along since “he’s such a nice boy.” End of year testing shows that T.J. is just below fourth-grade reading level. We’re praying that by September he will be on a fifth grade or higher reading level. This young man is one of the most talented young musicians I have met. T.J’s passion for music has awakened interest in many students who are informally taking drumming lessons from him. This is part of the Genesis Method –recognizing that everyone’s a teacher of something and each person can benefit from someone else’s teaching.

* Corey is thirteen years old. When he came to our school, he had “silent seizures” several times a day, which left him tired. Corey tested as a high achiever, although he was a very slow reader. Corey is also a gifted pianist, who performs regularly at our church’s Gospel Café, with local professional artists. Corey is a very handsome, charismatic personality, who had learned how to use his disability to dodge school work. With the help of a Christian homeopath and nutritionist who donated her services, Corey’s seizures are down to less than one a day. In our small class, we figured out how to "goose" Corey to keep him focused in class. We even made a joke—which Corey enjoys—out of splashing him with water when he looks like he’s going to zone out. Corey has completed all of his eighth grade academic requirements with a B- average. We believe that by next year, he will be totally healed from his seizures.

* We celebrated Jacqueline’s birthday on June 20th. She turned five. Jacqueline is the daughter of immigrant parents who just received permanent residence this year. She is reading and writing above a third grade level. She knows all of her states of the U.S., and can identify them on a map. Jacqueline knows the placement and moves of all the pieces on a chessboard. Her chess teacher, who also teaches Social Studies, Etiquette, and P.E. is working with her these days to learn the great games of the masters, and develop strategy.

* Except for his wry wit, there’s nothing that can distinguish Brian from any other fourteen-year-old student on paper. Like many of his contemporaries, polite Brian was sitting in the middle of a classroom of 35, making Ds, not doing homework, and keeping a low profile. Brian has been the biggest challenge, because there is no label or medical diagnosis that can quantify the apathetic spirit. During Spring months, our school day is from 9 to 6; Brian is a day student whose mom lets him stay several nights a week until 9pm for our upper grades study hall, which is conducted on a volunteer basis by our small faculty. We harassed Brian, we praised him; we sanctioned him, we rewarded him. Mostly, we saw potential in him, and helped him to see and realize potential in himself. Brian is fascinated by Christian theology. Brian has made an incredible breakthrough, intellectually and in terms of accountability. I hope you can take the time to read his research paper, at the end of these materials.

* Another young man came from an orphanage in St. Kitts. Prior to attending our school there, he had been in the special education unit of the local public school. This classification, as his ultimate academic success proved, was more a result of his orphan status, than his intellectual potential. Sheldon is currently a second year matriculate at Anne Arundel Community College.

* This web site was designed and installed in its entirety by one of our Genesis students, Donny Bristol. Donny was one of our concurrent high school graduates. At 18, he is an honor roll electronic engineering major in his third year of college studies.