Emily's Story
Background
When Emily was a sophomore in high school, her mother contacted Staying Ahead of the Game!, LLC at the recommendation of her school counselor in order to help her build her executive functioning skills and simplify her daily routines. Emily and her parents were hoping to be able to improve their relationship through the simple process of allowing Emily to take more ownership of her own success in the classroom. Fortunately for Emily, she was about to be matched with a coach that she would stay in touch with for years to come.
🙂 I'm so proud! I worked really hard and I really think I know the stuff!! I taught myself! I didn't need anyone to teach it to me!! I'll survive this weekend! I'll survive college alone!!!!!!! 🙂
Challenge
Emily’s grades were suffering because she had several zeros for missing assignments, and she had lost credibility in the eyes of her teachers. Additionally, Emily had recently been diagnosed with ADHD and Slow Processing Speed, and her lack of organization and poor study skills were leading to constant fighting at home over missing assignments. Emily was becoming depressed and her self-esteem was suffering because of the struggles she was having at school, and the once bubbly, charismatic young lady was unable to find a way to turn things around.
Solutions
For Emily, the solution was as simple as implementing some new and more effective routines and habits. By helping her to come up with a system for keeping herself organized, Emily no longer lost assignments or wasted time searching for items that were out of place. Emily got into the habit of writing her daily assignments in her planner, and she and her coach reviewed what was coming up each week prior to anything becoming overwhelming. This new structure alone would have done wonders, but ongoing support allowed Emily to really excel in the classroom in ways she had never been able to before.
If you come over in enough time, maybe we can go out and celebrate my awesomeness! Grades are still all B’s, but I’m headed in the right direction (: with my geometry final I can definitely bring up that grade because I got a 98 on the midterm and last year I got a 96 on my algebra final! I got things together and I’m taking good notes in history and theology.
Results
While Emily and her coach stopped meeting regularly many years ago, they are still in contact to this day. In fact, Emily will be graduating from college with her BS in Nursing as an RN this coming June, and we could not be more proud of the young woman she has become!
