It is November - the month of thankful hearts and grateful thoughts. It is a time of reflection. Rather than constantly striving to achieve more, let us take a few minutes to consider how far we've come.
As I sit near the burning fireplace in my home, waiting for the sun to rise, I think about what Huron Academic Endeavors was and is now.
Huron Academic Endeavors began as a piece of paper with a 501(c)(3) IRS designation on it, an EIN from the IRS, and Articles of Incorporation through the State of Michigan.
Since that time, in about the past six months, the organization has grown exponentially.
HAE now employs two instructors, six volunteer members of the Board of Directors, and three members on our substitute teaching team.
HAE was homeless for many months, with constant questions about where best to house the program. There were considerations of potential growth into more classroom space, affordability and student safety. There is now a classroom space, front lobby, gymnasium, cafeteria and playground. It is professional, beautifully decorated, filled with books, complete with a projector and document camera for visual learning, and arts and crafts materials. Though there is a great potential for growth - including more classrooms, multi-media room, and instructor break room - we are so thankful for everyone's hard work in making our current classroom space an inviting place to learn!
We've compiled a curriculum and multiple scope and sequences - complete with monthly and then weekly themes. The curriculum has been rated and reviewed by our Board of Directors and instructors. The decades of teaching experience from our Board of Directors and our teachers have helped craft scope and sequences for multiple grades. This includes monthly and weekly themes for school days and home working days. We've created a seamless transition between school learning and home learning. Every week, our classroom parents receive lesson plans, themes, extra resources, arts and crafts, and more thanks to the tireless dedication of our team.
We have four active donation and sponsorship programs. There have also been multiple opportunities to work with area small businesses for specific fundraisers and events. We already had one fundraiser that raised more than $1,500! The other sponsorship programs will allow Huron Academic Endeavors the flexibility to enhance our curriculum and school experience for students. Our Students About Town program supports our HAE families. And these sponsorships ensure our teachers have the resources they need for the classroom. It is vital to continue to develop and grow these networking and fundraising opportunities.
Social media and marketing are launched and active. Our mission is two-fold. First, we must inform our Blue Water area neighbors about hybrid homeschooling - introducing and defining it. Huron Academic Endeavors is the first hybrid homeschool program for this area, and the informational gap is tremendous. Second, once people know that hybrid homeschooling is an option, they need to know Huron Academic Endeavors is here to help! We must promote our name recognition and our brand as a professional and purposeful hybrid option for home-based, flexible learning.
Our marketing campaigns include our beautiful website, which was created from scratch. And all our marketing materials - rack cards, business cards, handouts, flyers, and posters - all had to be created as well. We are still creating new flyers and pictures on almost a daily basis.
Moreover, we are thankful for our children - for our own children and other students in the HAE program who spend their days learning alongside each other. All of this is happening because of them.
And finally, we are thankful for the pursuit of learning. It is a rushing river of ever-changing and never-ceasing endeavors. It never holds back. Huron Academic Endeavors Cooperative Center has risen to the occasion. Thank goodness.
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