Anupama — Gifted and Talented, Accelerated Math and Reading for 6th grade, Abacus graduate
When Anupama first started at Genie Academy, she was younger than most kids who walk through the door. She was in kindergarten, and she was already scared. "It was really hard for me. What if I'm not good enough to get it?"
That worry started in kindergarten and it followed her into first grade. She was a little slower at math, she struggled with reading, and she lacked confidence.
Today she is in a Gifted and Talented program, she got into Accelerated Math and Reading for 6th grade, and she scored in the 98th and 99th percentile on her benchmarks. She graduated the Abacus program with a 95 on her final test. She is not the nervous little kid who once asked her coach what number comes after two.
Before Genie Academy, Anupama did not love school. Math took her longer, and she thought through problems slowly. Reading was a real struggle. "I lacked confidence," she says plainly. She was young, the concepts felt hard, and everything took more time than she wanted it to.
Her mom Janani could see it. She wanted Anupama to use her mind more, to build the mental math that abacus develops, and to grasp concepts the way she knew her daughter could.
The push came from home. Anupama's older sister was already at Genie Academy, and Janani watched her flourish. "Seeing my older daughter flourish" was the aha moment. She could see the benefits of abacus and mental math up close.
There was one more reason Genie stood out. It was the only program that offered both Common Core and abacus in one place. That combination is what made the decision.
Two math coaches shaped Anupama's journey, and each one arrived at the right time.
Coach Angela was there when Anupama was little. She was patient. She broke things down so Anupama could understand the concepts, and she helped her stop worrying. One of the methods Anupama still remembers is Coach Angela's mental math trick: "Imagine 10 blocks, take away from the stack, then see how many blocks are left." That visualization method stuck with her.
Coach Angela was also there for the smallest struggles. Anupama laughs remembering it:
"I remember asking her what comes after two, and she said three." — Anupama
That is where confidence starts, one small answered question at a time.
Coach Mark came later, for the harder material. When Anupama hit division and larger numbers, she was confused about how to make the numbers work. Coach Mark helped her understand it and gave her tips and tricks she still uses.
Anupama did not set out to make Gifted and Talented.
"My parents didn't push me to, but I wanted to. I wanted to see my hard work at Genie pay off." — Anupama
That is the real change. A child who worried she was not good enough decided she wanted to prove her own effort was worth something. The concepts that once took her more time became things she understood before her classmates did. "I learn the concepts before, and I help my friends by explaining the concepts."
She approaches problems differently now too. "With word problems, Genie helped me break it down into parts and know how to approach it."
Anupama made a Math Gifted and Talented program in 1st grade. She got into Accelerated Math and Reading for 6th grade. On her advanced placement Exact Path benchmarks, she scored in the 98th and 99th percentile. She graduated the Abacus program with a 95 on her final test — a program she started at age 5.
"I finally did it after all this hard work. It was all so worth it and paid off." — Anupama, on her final abacus test
Anupama keeps a full schedule. She does Taekwondo, which is her favorite, along with Bharatanatyam dance and swimming. Genie helped with the focus that carries into all of it.
Her teachers at school notice too. Janani shares that Anupama's teachers describe her as responsible. She always does her homework, and she does it on time. She has become independent and takes ownership of her work.
Anupama can measure how far she has come.
"When I started Genie I was a nervous little kid, and now I've grown into a strong math person who can do mental math and solve things quickly and understand complicated concepts well." — Anupama
Her favorite part is simple. "I like getting prizes for doing my work. It gets me motivated to do well in class, no mistakes."
Her advice for a student who is struggling: "You should go to Genie for the abacus. It will help you get quicker and do complicated problems in your head. You can solve problems in seconds."
She is already looking ahead. She wants to attend a magnet school, stay on honor roll in middle school, and one day become a crime scene investigator or a doctor.
For Janani, the value is clear.
"Genie Academy is definitely worth the time for your kid. It helps with concentration and speed of math and also helps kids grasp concepts much better. Abacus helps so much with many skills and concepts in school." — Janani, Anupama's mom
She points to the coaches as the difference. "The coaches were really kind. Everyone was always sweet and kind."
When Anupama started at Genie Academy, she was a scared kindergartner asking whether she was good enough. Her mom saw an older sister flourish and believed the same was possible for Anupama. Genie gave her the coaching, the abacus foundation, and the confidence to answer her own question.
She was good enough all along. She just needed the coaches, the method, and the time to prove it to herself. Now she is setting her sights on magnet school and honors classes.
This is the power of discovering the genius your child was born to be.
If your child is ready to build confidence, stay ahead of the curve, and unlock their full potential, Genie Academy could be the missing piece.
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