What does your business do?

Dynamik Learning is a company that reignites the brain through innovative, exciting, modern, and long-lasting tutoring techniques. As a tutoring company, we understand that while the learning starts within the child, it flows through the entire family. Complete student success is impossible without educating the entire family which is what we do at Dynamik Learning. We inspire minds for greatness and help promote this energy beyond our doors by equipping parents and/or guardians with mechanics that are easy to apply within the home. At Dynamik Learning seeing our children succeed is not the only goal. Rather, it is witnessing the entire family flourish that makes us work our hardest as we increase the cognitive awareness and critical thinking skills of each child we serve.

How would you use the grant money?

Fortunately, we have seen a lot of growth in our current Eastern North Carolina location. As a result, Dynamik Learning is in the market for securing a bigger space that has an open floorplan, To support our hands-on and collaborative teaching philosophy. In addition, the space we are seeking needs to be at the heart of those we serve to minimize driving time (both coming and return) for all of our families, as accessibility of resources is a big need for today’s families. Also, we are looking to revamp our current curriculum by investing in our staff, securing workshop speakers for children and their families, purchasing books to continue to promote literacy skills, increasing math literacy tools, and hiring additional staff and support staff as our operation grows. By investing in our staff, we would like to attend training that relates to Common Core standards, the current curriculum utilized and adopted by most states. Moreover, training in emotional and cognitive development is necessary as we seek to increase our diversity amongst the population we serve. At Dynamik Learning, we strive to stand apart from typical tutoring companies, and are looking to offer monthly workshops with guest speakers that focus on learning components such as study skills, literacy exercises for the entire family, social media safety, as well as the negative effects of bullying. These, and other workshop ideas are meant to demonstrate to our population that learning can be triggered or derailed based on various markers.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?

As I am writing my response to this question, I wish you could hear the excitement in my voice! If given the honor of receiving this grant, Dynamik Learning could continue with our summer curriculum that could run for at a minimum of half a day. Our tutors understand the Humanities, as well as Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) are both initiatives that are soaring throughout our schools right now. As a result, with the grant proceeds, Dynamik Learning could create a program that allows hands on learning such as oratory contests/workshops, engineering projects, field trips, and mentorship exercises in the form of job shadowing of professional volunteers. In addition, we would also implement a summer reading program that would mirror the reading list provided by educators in the area, as well as additional materials that promote diversity, financial literacy, and health/wellness. Finally, Dynamik Learning would like to offer evening workshops to parents/guardians such as more information on Common Core (to help parents understand new initiatives), budgeting, health/wellness (to promote healthy eating for families), as well as professional skills such as interviewing, resume writing, job preparedness (for those individuals that may need such assistance). We would like to also purchase additional electronics such as iPads, laptops, and graphic calculators to enhance learning. As mentioned above, we not only want to serve the child, but we want to create an experience where the entire family is made whole by understanding the power of education and working together!

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?

Dynamik Learning will “pay it forward” by continuing to provide tutoring services to under privileged youth, and in the process, broadening their present, and creating more future leadership opportunities. We would like to continue offering volunteer opportunities for area high school students to fulfill their community service obligations for their high school obligations. We would like to have a partnership with all of the schools that represent our clientele, and see how we can encourage more leadership from our clients in their schools. For instance, if a principal is searching for less bullying amongst the students, we would like our client to initiate that campaign. If a counselor is having trouble enrolling students in standardize test coaching sessions, we would like our client to practice their oratory skills and tell their peers in a designated class the importance of accepting additional help. In addition, we would like to promote safe neighborhoods and ask our clients to be ambassadors of their own community. This could take form in picking up trash around the area, helping seniors in the area with light landscaping, and being positive role models for the younger children in their neighborhoods. In addition, we would really like to create more liaison activities with the teachers and Dynamik Learning staff. Oftentimes, clients may share more information with the tutors, particularly if they find it difficult to identify with their teacher(s). While we would never divulge privacies, we do want to create a community that is student-centered and student-focused. Bi-monthly chats/meet-ups could help promote such an environment and let the teachers know we are all truly on the same side.