How Leanne Went From “Needs a Bit of Work” to Scoring 844 out of 850 on the NJSLA

Leanne’s teacher at school mentioned that her writing could improve a bit more. She was not falling behind. Her teacher simply noticed that her writing lacked some depth and structure, and that it took her a little longer to organize her thoughts on paper. It was the kind of feedback that is easy to overlook. But Leanne’s mom Lucy decided to do something about it. Today, Leanne has scored 844 out of 850 on the NJSLA, serves on her school’s student council, and is currently in the Gifted and Talented program. All because her mom listened to that small nudge and decided to give her daughter a little extra support.

The Starting Point

Leanne was a solid student. Her grades were good. She enjoyed reading. But when it came to writing, she needed a little more time to get her ideas organized and onto the page. The structure and complexity that teachers look for at that level had not fully clicked yet.

Her handwriting could have been neater too. And because school had shifted almost entirely to typing, she was not getting as many chances to practice writing by hand. She loved reading, but she had not yet learned how to take what she absorbed from books and bring that into her own writing. She was reading passively rather than actively connecting it to her own voice.

Lucy saw an opportunity. Her daughter had the curiosity and the love of learning. She just needed the right environment to help her writing catch up with the rest of her abilities.

The Trigger

It came up at back-to-school night. Leanne’s teacher mentioned the writing, and Lucy took it to heart. She was not looking for anything drastic. She simply wanted Leanne to strengthen her language and writing skills and eventually push beyond her grade level.

A family in their town recommended Genie Academy. The location was convenient. The times worked. And the recommendation from someone she trusted made the decision easy.

The Coach Who Changed Everything

Coach Jessica became the person who would transform Leanne’s relationship with writing.

From what Lucy could see, Coach Jessica gave Leanne the right amount of attention. A balanced push and encouragement. She went over vocabulary consistently, reinforcing character traits and the nuances of language that take time to click with younger students. When Leanne struggled with a concept, Jessica did not move on. She reinforced it until it stuck.

After every class, Coach Jessica would say the same thing: “Keep up the good work.”

It sounds simple. But for a young student still building her identity as a writer, those five words carried weight. Jessica helped Leanne see her own improvement. She gave her the confidence that she had the ability to do well and that her progress was something to be proud of.

Lucy described the coaching style as personable and friendly. “It’s coaching versus teaching, which I really liked,” she explained. The coaches were not shy about telling Lucy when Leanne did not complete her work. Lucy appreciated the honesty and directness because it helped her support Leanne at home.

Leanne never once dreaded going to class.

The Feedback Gap: Genie vs. School

This is where Lucy’s experience reveals something that many parents feel but rarely articulate.

At school, feedback is vague. Teachers do not give minute-by-minute critiques. The work rarely comes back. Lucy could not go back and fix things because she did not know specifically what needed fixing. School feedback sounded like “she’s doing fine” or “she could improve” without the detail a parent needs to actually help.

At Genie Academy, it was the opposite.

Lucy could read over Leanne’s Genie homework and see exactly what her daughter was working on. She could track progress class by class. The coaches looked at the “why” behind the mistakes, not just whether the answer was right or wrong. The point-by-point feedback gave Lucy something she could not get anywhere else: visibility into her daughter’s learning.

“School doesn’t give me a point-by-point critique and feedback as much as Genie does. At Genie, we look at the why. In school, it’s very vague.”

That visibility changed everything. It turned Lucy from a parent hoping her daughter was improving into a parent who could see the improvement happening in real time.

The Shift

Leanne enrolled in Reading and Writing at Genie Academy, once a week. At first, she liked the classes but not the homework. Then she got used to the flow.

Something started to change. Her teacher at school noticed it. Leanne’s class performance improved. Her reading and critical thinking became more in-depth. Where her work had once stayed at the surface level, she was now engaging with material on a deeper level. She was more willing to put pen to paper and explore her ideas instead of holding back.

Genie Academy also gave her something the school could not: an excuse to write more by hand. In a world where schools have shifted to typing, the physical act of writing was becoming a lost skill. At Genie, Leanne picked up a pencil every week. And it showed.

The Results

NJSLA score: 844 out of 850. Third grade.

Leanne was very proud of that score. She noticed her own improvement, and having a concrete number helped her see just how far she had come. It was not abstract anymore. It was proof.

Her teacher confirmed what the numbers showed. Class performance had improved. Reading comprehension had deepened. Critical thinking was more in-depth. The student whose writing once needed a bit more structure was now producing work that showed real thought and sophistication.

It is important to note that Leanne did not just passively receive instruction and watch her scores climb. She developed good habits. She engaged with the process. The stickers and rewards at Genie gave her small goals to chase, and at her age, those little motivators matter more than most people realize.

Beyond the Classroom

Leanne is not just a student who scores well on tests. She is a young person building a life full of curiosity and leadership.

She plays percussion and piano. She is on student council, where her improved writing skills directly support her ability to research, summarize, and create presentations. She is on the yearbook committee. She sings in the chorus. She plays badminton.

In the classroom, Leanne shows leadership by volunteering, helping her teachers, and even teaching other students. She has an aptitude to lead and has become a model student for her peers.

She is currently in the Gifted and Talented program and on track to maintain that placement.

And when you ask her what she wants to be when she grows up? She wants to be a food critic. Or a scientist. She is very inquisitive and wonders a lot about the world around her. She loves food. The fact that she can even articulate those dreams with confidence says something about the kind of student she has become.

Leanne’s Perspective

Leanne explained that her favorite part of Genie Academy is the prizes you earn for doing your homework. She also likes how each class is a different experience. One day you might be one-on-one with the teacher, then in a class with a few people, or a full class depending on how many students come that day.

She credits Coach Brianna with helping her professionalize her writing.

“I have grown a lot. I now know many parts of speech!”

Her favorite memory?

“My last exam. When I finished with no mistakes I felt amazing!”

When asked what she would tell another student thinking about joining, Leanne’s response was immediate:

“Being in Genie is amazing! It is not like school where you have a day or two for homework, but you have a whole week to finish! Being in Genie helps you learn new things like math, vocabulary, reading, writing, NJSLA, and more! You might be scared or shy at first, but your coaches are very nice and help you with a lot of things. You also can have a teacher to work with you separately. You and other classmates also are doing different things so you don’t have to feel bad if you don’t finish because your learning plans are separate. You can also take your own time with your work.”

Mom’s Perspective

Lucy describes the Genie Academy experience as a hybrid. Individualized attention in a group setting where the child does not feel alone. Students work alongside others who are also improving. Leanne gets support from her coach, her manager, and even her classmates. It is a collective atmosphere where Lucy can cheer her on from the sidelines.

“I think it’s a convenient structure, works within a hard schedule, not mundane, it’s fun and not overwhelming, not too strict. It doesn’t give a sense of white walls. It’s colorful and cheerful.”

When asked what she would tell a parent who is unsure about enrolling their child, Lucy kept it simple:

“I think you can always try it. Anyone unsure of the time commitment, it’s flexible.”

She wanted to thank all the coaches for their support and encouragement. The positive reinforcement, the stickers that give Leanne a goal to chase, the reward system that keeps her motivated. At a young age, those things make a bigger difference than people think.

Closing

When Leanne started at Genie Academy, her teacher had mentioned that her writing could use some work. She needed a bit more structure. She needed a bit more time to organize her thoughts.

Today she scored 844 out of 850 on the NJSLA. She is in the Gifted and Talented program. She serves on student council. She helps teach other students. She wants to be a food critic or a scientist.

The writing that once needed a little extra support is now the skill that powers her leadership, her presentations, and her academic confidence. Genie Academy did not just help Leanne become a better writer. It helped her discover that she was a writer all along.

This is the power of discovering the genius your child was born to be. In Leanne’s case, she just needed a coach who believed in her and a program that gave her the space to grow at her own pace.