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of the Month
This month we welcome back Sandra Dupont, a licensed family/teen counselor who specializes in parent coaching and therapy for adolescents and their families. Sandra has a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology with over a decade's experience in helping teens solidify their sense of self and negotiate the path toward adulthood. She adopts many strategies in bridging the gap that can emerge between parents and their kids, focusing on building communication, resolving past issues and helping teens to cope with the pressures in ther lives. Sandra is also an accomplished writer, having written a teen coaching bookin addition to being a contribuuting editor for ateen magazine directed toward at-risk youth. For more info, email Sandra, call (310) 951-5678 or visit her website.
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Looking For A Student
Community Service Opportunity?
Meet Rickey Smith, social entrepreneur and owner of the sustainable food business Urban Green. He's started a community education venture called the Urban Green Kids Row program, creating opportunities for kids from diverse backgrounds to participate in many activities related to food sustainability, from planting seeds to learning about how organic food is grown and harvested. For more info on a terrific
community service and volunteering opportunity for kids, email Rickey,
or call (800) 200 3320.
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Check out Our YouTube Video!
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How Academic Success Can Support You
At Academic Success we take great pride in finding the right coach to support the unique needs of each student we help. Please check out the areas where we work on our web site and let us know how we can support you.
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Looking for a College Counselor or Ed Therapist?
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We work and partner with excellent Educational Therapists and College Counselors throughout the L.A. area. Give us a call and we can recommend the right fit for your child.
310-823-4398
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Welcome To Part 2 Of Our
Summer Series!
With a growing literacy crisis now an accepted reality to  confront in our schools, it's never been a better time to focus our attention on the incredible benefits associated with reading.
As summer draws to a close, many students will be putting down that poolside book in favor of a stack of textbooks. But there is a growing consensus that reading for leisure continues to provide benefits for middle and high schoolers, including improved vocabulary, comprehension and writing skills.
In this month's second and final Summer Edition, we'll focus on the mystery, power and joy of reading.
We'll shine a spotlight on the advantages available to those students who continue to read into adolescence, the problems faced by those who were not taught to appreciate reading at an early age and how educators are trying to bridge the gap.
At Academic Success, we believe that a well-rounded approach both in and out of the classroom is essential for high achievement.
Please call with any questions at (310) 823 4398 or
All the best,
The Academic Success Team
"Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him."
- Maya Angelou
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Reading:
An Antidote To Learning Loss
We have documented the phenomenon of Summer  Learning Loss in past summer issues; one of the best ways to keep mentally alive and switched on over the break is to keep yourself on a steady reading schedule. This encouraging piece details an innovative summer reading program coming out of northern California.
Starting Early To Get Ahead
 "Read early. Read often. Your child's success depends on it." This was the mantra for a campaign run by the Muskegon Area school district, to help lower-income kids with their reading skills. This feel-good article serves as a superb example of local school districts instilling a love of reading in all of its students.
Reading As A Force For Good In The World
Beyond contributing to academic success, reading has  long been known to help us understand and empathize with one another. This stunning op-ed in the Guardian by established author Neil Gaiman makes an impassioned case for reading and the continuation of libraries in our communities.
The Responsibility of Educators
 Although it is incumbent upon parents to begin reading to their kids as early as possible, educators also have a critical part to play in cultivating a love of reading in their students. This insightful article in The Atlantic reminds us that the more pleasurable reading is for our kids, the more quickly it will become a habit.
An Embarrassment of Reading Riches
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Becoming Best Friends
With An E-Reader
One way to build or maintain an enjoyable reading routine  while tackling a busy schedule is to use an E-Reader. While nothing can beat the fun smells, feel and appearance of a paperback or hard-cover book, students' bags are becoming heavy enough without adding extra weight to their carry load.
Using a E-Reader means kids can be reading several books simultaneously; this allows them to "pick up" whichever book may suit their mood at the time. E-Readers also have built-in dictionaries available at the touch of a button, enabling students to build vocabulary without losing patience as they try to find definitions in a hard-copy dictionary.
E-Readers also offer the option of returning and exchanging a book if it doesn't suit your taste, which opens the possibility for experimentation without the worry of wasting money. Kids can also have fun picking their case to jazz up their E-Reader's appearance. There are several brands of E-Reader that will fulfill the needs of any student and their biggest appeal may be their simplicity. While some of them can also browse online, the most effective E-Readers perform one function: enabling us to read early, often and anywhere. |
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Coach Profile of The Month
 This month we introduce to a member of our elite coaching crew, Sonia Sanchez. Sonia grew up in New England and attended the University of Connecticut, doing her graduate studies in electrical engineering. She then wasted no time moving out to California to work in the aerospace industry and enjoy the steady climate and the constant sunshine. Sonia started teaching and tutoring while an undergraduate, developing a pre-engineering class to introduce high school students to practical applications of their math and science curriculum. She takes pleasure in improving her students' self-confidence and watching them reach their goals. Sonia never stops learning and exploring the world around her. Her passions include writing, playing the guitar, traveling and various sports. Now a fulltime coach, she's dedicated to helping her students discover their natural abilities and talent in order to shine.
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We consider it a privilege and an honor to support students and their families throughout the Los Angeles area. Please call us at any time; we welcome your thoughts and input. We are available at 310-823-4398.
Sincerely,
Jamie Altshule
Academic Success, Inc.
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know where to start in choosing a book, have no fear: we have three superb reading lists. The first is a