Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Hello, this is Krishna Hart and welcome to the Masterpiece Academy's Learning by Design podcast. And with me today is our former student. She was our student when she was in second grade. It's Helene Gabriel. Say hi.
[00:00:14] Speaker B: Hi. Nice to be here.
[00:00:17] Speaker A: And then with her is her father, Mr. Charles Gabriel.
[00:00:22] Speaker C: Hi. Very happy to be here.
[00:00:25] Speaker B: So nice to meet you to the camera.
[00:00:27] Speaker A: So today we're going to talk about their learning journey and how Mr. How can I can I just call you Charles please? Yeah. How Charles have raised Helena and Antonia. Right? Antonia. Yeah. So Antonia is the younger sister of Helena and they were with us when they were in second grade and first grade doing cogat and nnat test preparation. So we're existing since 2009. So now these kids are are at TJ and Helena is in academies of Loudoun. So let's get started. Yeah, sure. Okay. So let's start with you know, reflecting on your children parents perspective. How would you describe Antonia and Helena as they were growing up?
[00:01:21] Speaker C: So Helena is kind of a very outgoing person. She likes social settings, excellent communication.
Reading is her passion and hobby. I can say that she has other hobbies but reading is a major hobby for her since elementary school.
The one thing that I noticed in her that she likes kind of a critical thinking, a puzzle angle of critical thinking. Antonia on the other hand, very quantitative person.
Math. Yeah, very, very, very math oriented.
She likes to build stuff, break stuff.
Hands on. Hands on engineer. Engineer and vocal but not in as we're like opposite.
[00:02:18] Speaker B: Very, very, totally different because I hate math.
[00:02:21] Speaker C: They are not twins.
[00:02:22] Speaker B: They are not twins but we get asked that a lot.
[00:02:25] Speaker C: Yeah, they get when they because as tall but they get, they get when they walk together they, they ask them are they are you twin and they are not in term of the thinking and the skills and abilities are totally, totally different.
But, but those are the kind of the thing that I want to highlight because it's going to help us with your questions.
[00:02:49] Speaker A: Yeah. So I wonder where this, you know, reflecting in those early years what made you think this is who they are meant to be?
[00:03:01] Speaker C: So one thing I want to share with you that I really adopted and they know that and I have been telling them adopted the coaching style, not the parent style but the coaching style. And I was always telling them, you know, if you want to be a successful leader, surround yourself with a good team. And I'm your advisor, I'm your coach, your advisor. Just listen to me as your coach and advisor.
So we started this stuff. They still don't listen to me but A lot better than parental approach. Much better.
They still listen to me and sometimes, occasionally they listen to me.
But I was able to through this coaching style. I was very attentive to their skills. How do they respond to activities? Yeah, I take them to shows. Not, not art show or only, but like STEM shows.
[00:04:01] Speaker B: Yeah. The science fairs and conferences.
[00:04:04] Speaker C: Science fairs and see how they respond to everything sometimes even. I took Antonia one time to Home Depot and she was very interested in the, in the, you know, hammers and, and drills. And now when I said, okay, she's definitely hands on, she's definitely a engineer. And then over time I discovered many things that I will share with you later. But that's, that's how I, I felt like I have to be close and I have to be attentive to, to their skills and their talents.
[00:04:35] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, it seems like as a parent you can see those tiny details and then it reminded me of the time when, when I usually coach my parents. I'm not sure when you're there, but you know the gifted portfolio building in Fairfax county, they do gifted portfolio building and I always coach the parents to look at those tiny details and how they can nurture them. So it seems like you are doing those steps like you know, in a very effective way, I hope. Yeah, yeah. And you know, Helena will talk about just. This is a, you know, a trailer for our next podcast. Helena will talk about, you know, the new organization that she built with her team.
[00:05:20] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:05:21] Speaker A: So stay tuned. Okay, so let's move on fearfully and wonderful male. So every child is unique in their design.
How did you as a parent nurture and celebrate the individual strength and personalities of Antonia and Helena?
[00:05:38] Speaker C: So again, because, because I'm not enforcing any specific path or, or a career or domain knowledge. I let them see what they like. But, but at the same time I'm trying to balance that there is a foundation.
Even though you have the certain talent and, and thing that you want to focus on and think you want to be excel at.
[00:06:03] Speaker A: Right.
[00:06:03] Speaker C: But there are some foundation like you have to finish elementary, you have to finish middle school. There is no negotiation on those kind of a, you know, foundations. But how you branch, how do you balance your interest versus the secondary stuff that is not and how you still succeed in them. Maybe you are not going to be a star in them, but you can still need to succeed in them. So that, that kind of a challenging part. But I want to give them a credit. They were also motivated, they were also wanted to do. Helena in elementary school was super Motivated to be the student of the year. She planned it. She planned it. She has a vision and goal, and she got it.
[00:06:46] Speaker B: Yeah. I saw the year before me, so the fourth and fifth graders, they would go to this award ceremony for the fifth graders. And I saw when I was in fourth grade, the girl a year ahead of me who won the student of the year. And the moment I saw that, I knew from that moment I was like, okay, when I'm her age, I'm going to get this award. And I landed out from that second, and then I got the award, and it was crazy. And I worked really hard for it.
[00:07:14] Speaker C: We tried to replicate it with Antonia when she was in fifth grade, and she had the same teacher that awarded Helena as the student of the year, but we couldn't.
[00:07:27] Speaker A: Why? I'm just curious why.
[00:07:30] Speaker C: I think what happens is.
Here's the secret. Helena built a campaign to win this.
Seriously. Not. Not only.
[00:07:40] Speaker A: Oh, my goodness.
[00:07:42] Speaker C: Not only that. She. She checked all the good stuff, but she built a campaign very deliberate. Yes. To get. To get.
To get the awareness that she deserved this award. So that's very important. I want to emphasize that she built a communication campaign. She. She got the attention of the teacher. She got the attention of the principal. We didn't do the same. Antonia was very, very amazing student, but she didn't have the campaign piece.
[00:08:08] Speaker B: I'm good at selling myself to people almost.
[00:08:10] Speaker A: Well, can you talk about the campaign that you built? Just. Just, you know, for the sake of our listeners? Because I'm coaching elementary, like, elementary and middle schools to kind of like, build their credentials all the way to 9th to 11th grade. To build their credentials. So talk about it. So in that way they can.
[00:08:28] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I realized the moment I saw that student I was mentioned the year before me win noticed I paid attention to the characteristics and her characteristics and what she did to win that award. When they were speaking about her and they were talking about her dedication to community service, and that was one of the big things that I really made a commitment to. And so when I heard, okay, I should. Along with being a good student and being motivated and doing well in my classes, I should make an emphasis on community service and volunteering in my community. So I went with my mom and we volunteered for this organization, for Food for Neighbors. And every time we would do these circle talks at the beginning of each week, and they would say, what did you do over the weekend? And I would make sure to let my teacher know I was volunteering over the weekend, not just to show it. But also just because I was passionate about it.
[00:09:25] Speaker A: So you build rapport with your teacher, too. And then you really.
[00:09:29] Speaker B: That's a very important part of it. Yeah.
[00:09:31] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:09:31] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:09:33] Speaker A: That is crucial.
[00:09:34] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:09:35] Speaker A: Well, you know, so maybe that's one good. One piece of advice that these students that our listeners can get from you. Because when you go to college, you need to ask teacher recommendations anyway and summer camps and internships. So building rapport relationships is crucial.
[00:09:54] Speaker B: Yeah. And then another big thing was just seeing when I decided I had a goal that I wanted to achieve, I would just look at other students who had achieved that goal or other people that have achieved that goal. And I say, and I sit there and I analyze. Okay, what did they do?
How did they get there? Yeah. Just recently, we were talking about how I recently competed in DECA and at DECA States in Virginia beach two weeks ago. And before, when I was preparing for that, I was looking at some winners who won in my event or similar events and seeing what methods they used. And I would just Google it or watch it on YouTube to learn from them. Yeah. And that's something that's easy to do and it's an easy way to learn.
[00:10:36] Speaker A: Perfect. I think you're gonna say something.
[00:10:38] Speaker C: Yes. One of the things that I mentioned also, she got couple of awards. Part of her campaign or part of her strategy. She got a couple of awards. One of them was the sheriff dare.
[00:10:48] Speaker B: Contest for the DARE Calendar contest.
[00:10:50] Speaker A: Oh, the dare. Yes. I think I remember that when my two kids are in Loudon.
[00:10:54] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:10:54] Speaker C: And we're definitely going to provide the picture. So she had very good awards. So she won couple of awards. That's one of them.
And that's speaking about connecting the dot with their talents.
I felt like she has some passion about problem toward her students.
Drug was one of them, and health. And that's where we started to think about maybe your path, something related to health. I don't know how you're gonna make the career path or the academic experience, but at this point, I said, maybe we need to combine health and your analytical communication skills and moving forward. In middle school, she started to have some interest in analytics, and she published paper related to analytics, machine learning and medical, including drug and psychology. She has a research in sixth grade about suicide. Teen sociology.
[00:11:58] Speaker B: Yeah, that one wasn't published research. That was just an opportunity to do a research project in one of my classes. And they said, you can pick any topic. And there were just certain it had to be related to statistics and stuff. And we had to use Statistical evidence.
So yeah, we got to pick any social issue that we wanted. And for some reason, like he was saying, a continuation of my passion for health. I became really interested in the mental health of teenagers and I did a whole project in sixth grade about the suicide rates of teenagers. And that was one thing that really sparked my interest and passion in the world of health sciences.
[00:12:35] Speaker C: She has a couple of papers in health related. Happy to provide you the list.
[00:12:40] Speaker A: Yeah, I wonder, I'm curious. It's not in my list of questions, but I'm just curious. Was that analytical thinking, was it modeled to you or did you see it growing up? Or is there a teacher who influenced you in that way of thinking?
Where did you see that?
[00:12:57] Speaker B: That's a great question. Honestly, I think that I've always been this way since I was little. I also do think that the more I learned from other people, it developed over time and obviously taking certain classes. But I do think that I just remember him telling me stories of when I was really, really small, I would say, and I would solve puzzles when I was little, like, like a baby. Right. And I think I started reading very early as well too. So I think that's what really developed my skill and my passion.
[00:13:28] Speaker C: But you came one time she came with me along those times, along those kind of experience. She came to my work and at the Defense Health Agency.
[00:13:39] Speaker A: Oh, you are in the Department of Defense.
[00:13:41] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:13:42] Speaker A: Okay. That's what I'm trying to get, you know, contract.
[00:13:46] Speaker C: But I work at the health, the Defense Health Agency.
So she came with me and she saw firsthand, how do you do first aid in a battlefield? She saw a lot of interest entering stuff, fun stuff like makeup that looks like a.
[00:14:06] Speaker B: Specific injuries, how they do the special effects.
[00:14:10] Speaker C: So you can, you can be trained as a, as a provider, healthcare provider. So she saw a variety of things.
[00:14:15] Speaker B: And the, the pig heart I got to dissect. Oh, wow. How old are you? I was tiny too.
[00:14:23] Speaker C: That was before fifth grade.
[00:14:24] Speaker B: Yeah, it was.
[00:14:25] Speaker C: That was before fifth grade.
[00:14:28] Speaker B: Ten. Around 10, eight or 10? I would say. Yeah.
[00:14:31] Speaker C: Yes.
And then come sixth grade, she started, say, Helena, why don't you take this course about health and why don't you start machine learning? And she had a group and she published couple of papers in machine learning and medical science. At this time we try to apply for the academies of Loud. And I'm switching now she's trying to apply for academies of academies of science.
[00:14:56] Speaker B: Academies of engineering and technology.
[00:14:59] Speaker C: And then, and then she didn't. She didn't. She didn't got admitted to those, but she got admitted to other. The MATA program. Yeah.
[00:15:07] Speaker B: Later on.
[00:15:08] Speaker C: Later on, using all this experience. Yeah, absolutely. First of all, she got high score in essay in psat. That qualified her because it was one of the requirements. Also her credentials in writing the papers, engaging in health and she choose the track, health science and biotech, and that's where she secured her three years experience.
[00:15:30] Speaker A: Yeah, that's good. That's good information. For those who did not qualify at first at aus, at aet, they have the option to do MATA because we also have like, you know, writing classes for mata.
[00:15:42] Speaker C: And that's another lesson one, number one, is not to give up.
You get admitted to something, you get disappointed or you don't get what you want. But there is also another route or another alternative which is mata. And believe it or not, by the blessing of heaven, that was exactly the right match.
[00:16:07] Speaker B: Yeah. I remember being really, really sad in 8th grade when I found out I didn't get into AOS or AET and just being really frustrated, disappointed.
And I just. And I also just was not excited about the school, the high school I was going to afterwards, I just thought it wasn't going to be the best environment. And then when I was in ninth grade at that high school, I learned about MATA and the health and medical sciences programs I could apply to. And so I applied and I got in. And once I started attending the academies and the MATA programs, I realized how much I loved it and how much that really was the place I was meant to be. And I also realized for my friends that were in aos, that I would have not enjoyed AOS at all. And it did not match my skill set or my interests at the time.
[00:16:55] Speaker A: Bravo to the. Kudos to the Academies of Lauren.
[00:16:58] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:16:59] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:16:59] Speaker B: It's amazing.
[00:17:00] Speaker A: Yeah. Okay, so let's move on. Thank you so much. That was very informative.
So discovering their potential, how did you recognize that interest? And, well, let's see the role of preparation. So when they were preparing for. Let's go back to when they were kids. Back off. When they're preparing for the Kogat gifted test and NNAT in third grade, what was your thought process when choosing to invest in that preparation and how did it help you?
[00:17:28] Speaker C: So I want to share because she finished with something very important about her skills. In, in a way, she looks at pattern and she looks. Oh yeah, stuff and analyzing pattern by pattern, not only like, like a puzzle pattern, but also a life.
Life patterns. Like she can, she can. She can interpret a lot of Events in real life and. And put things together. But going back to the Cogat early enough the way she looks at cogat which is another important things.
My initial thought I want them to be in this program for one thing because Futura. Yes I want them to be first of all use their talent somehow in addition to the regular academic courses in the classroom. But second, I want to discover. I want them to go exposed to this so I can discover what do they really, you know, what they want to do, what's their strength and so forth and so forth or area of development as well. And that's what I really discovered. The way Helena think look at visual, you know Cogat and in that is very, very good IQ test for early enough.
[00:18:51] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:18:51] Speaker C: And the fact that we partner with the right partner with us Young circle.
That was amazing. Young Scholar circle. Young Scholar Circle.
That was an amazing experience too. I mean when you choose the right partner because you cannot do everything at home, you cannot do everything at school. Supplemental educational is very important. So that's where Ms. Christina started to.
[00:19:17] Speaker A: Christina Magallian she's still with us gave.
[00:19:19] Speaker C: Us feedback and the way I also. I also followed up at home to see how she thinks about those tests and how she, you know, improves her visual thinking and puzzle solving ability. Was eye opener for sure.
[00:19:35] Speaker A: Wow. Wow.
[00:19:37] Speaker C: And one Thinging to note, Ms. Christina had both of them, Helena and Antonia.
[00:19:43] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:19:44] Speaker C: She told me the way they think is totally different.
[00:19:47] Speaker A: So that confirmed your thoughts.
[00:19:48] Speaker C: Yeah, totally different.
And guess what? At the end, Antonia one of the things that I noticed and I kept it in mind. Antonia Quantitative score was 99 percentile.
[00:20:00] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:20:02] Speaker C: Helena. Helena was balanced across.
[00:20:05] Speaker A: You still remember their scores, huh?
[00:20:07] Speaker C: Yes. Antonia was an eye opener. And I will tell you later what what we did with that.
[00:20:12] Speaker A: Yeah, go for it.
[00:20:13] Speaker C: So. So in. In her sixth grade I started Antonia, we really need to get you into competition. First of all, co hit I found Antonia that was. She was very weak in her school kind of performance, especially math.
So I started to sit with her say Antonio, we need. I need to train you. I need to know is this because lack of training or. Or because your skills is not.
And at the time I didn't keep in mind her score in the quantitative score. It was not in mind at all.
I knew it. But it was not connected to anything.
[00:20:50] Speaker A: Okay, but he got. She got 99 percentile.
[00:20:53] Speaker C: Yes. But I didn't know.
I didn't know that this is really truly her math ability because I see her at school behind.
[00:21:00] Speaker A: Right, right.
[00:21:00] Speaker C: But I had to intervene And I said, okay, let's sit down. And I got her very good books beyond, I mean, outside of the school. And we started to sit down and work. And I found her. Every time she get trained, her score will absolutely. Her performance changed dramatically.
[00:21:18] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:21:20] Speaker C: Yes. In a very, very, very fast paced approach. And I found her very motivated to be, to be working in math come sixth grade. And I said, Antonia, why don't you get into competition? Math competition. Oh, you challenge her a challenge her right away. She said yes. And she was with older kids, faster than her, very more qualified, more trained. But she was not giving up. She was not disappointed. She was little behind, but she had the ability to get into the competition, qualify. She had a lot of good progress. And that's where really qualified her later on for tj.
[00:22:05] Speaker A: Oh, wow. So is that, is that the kangaroo math that she trained?
[00:22:09] Speaker C: She did kangaroo, she did math league, she did math count. And I was trying to watch her which one she likes out of these.
[00:22:17] Speaker A: Yeah, that's a good one. So that's a very good advice because, you know, in my next pod. Well, in the next, next week's podcast. Podcast, I'm talking about, you know, how to qualify your children in this academic competitions because it really helps. And then I think you getting into getting intervention right away when you see your child because it seems like weird, like 99 percentile.
[00:22:45] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:22:45] Speaker A: And then it doesn't match up. Correct.
[00:22:48] Speaker C: Yes, exactly. But I'm not thinking about the cogat percentile at this point. But after she excels, I went back and I found, wow, Antonia, you, you are early enough in a, you know, you, you talent in quantitative. So absolutely, that makes sense now. And I try to connect the dot and.
[00:23:07] Speaker A: Wow. Wow. Good thing, good thing. Okay, let's see.
Yeah, so let's, let's move on. Oh, let's see. Let's talk about challenges, overcoming challenges. So what challenges did you or your children face in their academic journey and how did you guide them through these moments?
[00:23:30] Speaker C: There were many of them, of course, some small transactions here and there. Always, always. There are some challenges.
But the big challenge is they are ambitious. They have their own talent.
Matching the talent with the academic or county or school.
[00:23:52] Speaker A: Oh, it's a challenge. That is a real challenge for us.
[00:23:55] Speaker C: A kind of a curriculum and.
How do you say it?
[00:23:58] Speaker A: Or like just the competitions. There's not much out there.
[00:24:02] Speaker C: Exactly.
[00:24:03] Speaker A: Especially during the COVID Exactly.
[00:24:05] Speaker C: And not only that, but we found at some point discouragement for Antonio to continue her math advance. She wants to advance in math at Some school and. And. And. And the teacher and everyone discourage us. No, no, no, don't let her jump. Don't let her go to the advanced class.
[00:24:20] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:24:21] Speaker C: Even though. Even though the academies and TJ requires advanced.
[00:24:27] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:24:27] Speaker C: Specifically. But the school and the county discourages you.
[00:24:31] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:24:32] Speaker C: Oh, yeah, yeah. So that. That's what. That's a big challenge is, is to how to match what you believe and your talent and what. And what is the career plan and what the school official.
[00:24:48] Speaker A: Yeah. So how did you navigate around that one? Because.
[00:24:51] Speaker C: So definitely Antonia was able to. To score high in her math test, and we were able to negotiate with the teacher in the. In the. Not elementary. Elementary school didn't recommend advanced class for her, but the middle school teacher were able to. She saw her in class how she's advanced. She saw him in class how she's, you know, good math student, and she said, by all means, I will recommend you for advanced class because I know.
[00:25:20] Speaker A: They have to take IAT Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test. I think in academies in Loudoun, it's fifth grade, it's administered to all fifth grade, whereas in Fairfax county, it's administered to gifted students of sixth graders only.
[00:25:34] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:25:35] Speaker A: So is that the one that they took?
[00:25:37] Speaker C: Yeah.
Yeah, they are. They have a map test in sixth grade.
Yes. And then. And then she were. She was able, I think, to switch based on the math test.
[00:25:48] Speaker A: Okay, so you still have to lobby.
[00:25:50] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:25:50] Speaker A: For your children.
[00:25:51] Speaker C: Yeah. It doesn't come natural and. And they don't give you the option. Yeah.
[00:25:56] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:25:57] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:25:57] Speaker A: Tough challenges.
[00:25:58] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:25:59] Speaker A: How about you in your personal journey? How did you. Have you had any challenging academic journey in the past? And then, you know, focus on one and then tell us how you navigate through it.
[00:26:11] Speaker B: Yeah. Anita, what do you think?
[00:26:18] Speaker C: I mean, for Helena, it was maybe. Maybe a little complicated because, again, she's interested in health, analytical kind of solution, communication, business.
[00:26:31] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:26:32] Speaker C: That is tough to have in. In middle school activities. But the. But. But the academies were. Were kind of the. The bridge. That was the.
[00:26:41] Speaker B: Yeah. I think the main challenge and the one I'm honestly still facing today as a junior in high school was just the fact that I loved reading so much and I loved learning about so many different things.
It was almost hard to kind of figure out which one I like the most and what I wanted to pursue the most. And that's why, I mean, I did DECA this year, and I Competing in business and learning more about the world of business, along with still being at academies and learning about medicine and biology and then having an interest in law as well, and like the legal aspect, which law has always been an interest and passion of mine. Since I was little, I always said I wanted to be a lawyer. So it's just, I think. And I think it's also a challenge when schools require you to take certain classes. And there's not a lot of freedom in the school system to excel at what you're good at and to take classes that you enjoy and are passionate about just because you have to follow the set standard.
[00:27:43] Speaker A: Right.
[00:27:43] Speaker B: Yeah. And it can be frustrating at times, especially if, like, me right now, I'm in a really hard math class when I don't really want to do anything with math later in life. So. Yeah, that's. That's a challenge.
[00:27:56] Speaker A: Yeah. And then to. For you to, you know, navigating that challenge is you just, you know, pursue your interest outside of school.
[00:28:05] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:28:05] Speaker A: That's how I. I can see it.
[00:28:06] Speaker B: Yeah. For sure. But then it gets another challenge with that is learning how to balance my time and learning time management. Because when you don't get to do all the things you're interested. Interested in at school, you have to figure out a way to do them outside of school. But then you also have to figure out a way to get your homework done, studying for tests and all that.
[00:28:25] Speaker A: You only have, like, 24 hours a day. You got to sleep.
Yeah. And then. Do you know, how is Antonia doing at TJ right now? She is rising. She is now currently in.
[00:28:37] Speaker C: That's the reason why she's not here.
[00:28:39] Speaker B: I know.
[00:28:40] Speaker A: She's currently in.
[00:28:41] Speaker C: She is. She's freshman.
[00:28:44] Speaker A: She's still adjusting.
[00:28:46] Speaker C: She was. She works a lot. A lot. And she cares about her grade, so there is no pause whatsoever. I mean, sometimes she gets tired. Really? She gets tired. She cannot even catch up during the weekend.
But she does it with passion. I mean, she's exhausted and tired, but she. She does it with passion. She loves it. She loves the AT. She loves the environment.
[00:29:09] Speaker A: DJ environment.
[00:29:11] Speaker C: Absolutely.
[00:29:11] Speaker A: It's very competitive.
[00:29:13] Speaker C: Exactly.
[00:29:14] Speaker A: It's 1.5% per region in Loudoun County. So just getting into TJ is a big deal. Yes, it's a big deal.
[00:29:21] Speaker C: It's a milestone, but it's. Yes, it's a milestone.
The good thing for both of them. So everyone found their passion and was able to, as you highlighted in your question, we were able to overcome the challenges by. Which is a big deal. She found her match. Antonia found her match.
So that's a very big deal. I mean, she's interested. Antonia interested in STEM engineering. She excel at IT design, coding, artificial intelligence. And she already designed her her whole four year high school.
[00:29:56] Speaker A: Oh, she's already planned it.
[00:29:57] Speaker C: Yes. Helena, on the other hand, advocating for health care, advocating for health issues, solving the education, well being and community kind of service business. And I want you to just make sure you spell out the DECA acronym. What is DECA stands for?
[00:30:20] Speaker A: Yeah, go for it.
[00:30:21] Speaker B: That's a great question. I actually, I don't think anyone knows what it actually stands for.
[00:30:26] Speaker A: Talk about it because we're going to talk about it in the next.
[00:30:29] Speaker B: I think the name got changed. It is an organization. I mean everyone just knows it as like deca, like the business competition. I think that it did stand, it was an acronym but then they kind of changed it a little bit later. I'm not really too familiar with the history, but it is a competition for students that are interested in hospitality and tourism, business and marketing, anything that falls finance. Anything that falls under that whole category of business.
[00:30:57] Speaker C: Which one is yours? Which one is yours?
[00:30:59] Speaker B: Yeah, entrepreneurship is a big one. My event that I competed in was a partner event. So I competed in it with my teammate and we did business, law and ethics. And it was actually me. Yeah, it was me and my partner's first time ever competing in deca. And we honestly decided right before the like deadline to sign up to compete at the state competition. We were just like, yeah, you know what, let's do it, let's try. And we picked our event and we just worked so hard and we got commended by our advisors at the school, the teachers that run DECA there. Because every single week there were two practices a week and me and my partner were almost at every single practice. We were studying for the tests and preparing. There's two aspects of our competition event. One of them is a test where both me and my partner take the test separately and then our scores are averaged. And then the second part of the event is at the competition, which was at Virginia beach. And we basically. 30 minutes, we're given a case study, something to do with the world of business, law and ethics. And we're given a 30 minute case study. So we have 30 minutes to read it, take notes on it. And then after the 30 minutes are up, we go and we take our proposal to a judge and present how we would address the solution.
[00:32:23] Speaker A: Oh, so it's really problem solution.
[00:32:25] Speaker B: Problem based. Yeah, simulation based.
[00:32:27] Speaker A: That's basically my dissertation. Simulation based and problem solving.
[00:32:31] Speaker B: Yeah, it's definitely a big emphasis on thinking on your feet and being able to Solve problems creatively.
[00:32:40] Speaker A: Yeah, that's very academical. You know, that's the style of academies of Lauren and dj. They just give you problem on the spot and that's basically what they do in their essays. Math, problem solving essays and portrait sheet.
[00:32:52] Speaker C: Yes, yeah, yes.
[00:32:55] Speaker A: So let's see, let's move on as you reflect. Let's, let's see. Seeing the big picture as you reflect on where Antonia and Helena are now and the academies of Loudoun, how do you feel their unique design, you know, when they were kids and purpose have shaped their path.
[00:33:15] Speaker C: Yeah. As I mentioned, I'm glad that we were able to really do this miracle because sometimes, you know, it's not up to us to be admitted to a program where Helena can continue learning about health care, continue learn about how to use information for medical, science and biotech.
And the same way for Antonia, that was excellent match.
We really are thankful for the prayers we did for God, for everything. But that was exactly.
How do we solve the challenge that we found? How do we find the right academic high school that qualified them for the right college so they can continue on on those career as you know, it's very tough to decide what you want to do even when you are college. Right. It's a normal struggle to say okay, this is what I'm. So I was very glad that for them at least they have some kind of, you know, set, you know, it doesn't have to be exact but at least they have. They know where they are heading with.
[00:34:35] Speaker A: Their talent and it shows off early on.
[00:34:37] Speaker C: Yes, exactly, exactly. I mean just she loves healthcare, but she loves it so much and she loves biology even though she is not planning to be a doctor. That's a new, that's a new thinking. If you think about it, you will not find anyone in definitely in a county or outside of the county who gonna be for biology and science but think I want to be. I want to be in informatics or I want to be business or law and healthcare.
[00:35:07] Speaker B: It's funny, it's like a joke in my academies class actually because I think it's. Everyone in my academies class right now wants be a doctor. We're all talking about going pre med and applying to BSMD programs.
And then there's. I think there's me and maybe one other student where we're like set on going either like towards business and law, but obviously still like focusing on a minor or focusing on an emphasis on like healthcare and medicine because it is something I'm genuinely interested in and I think I can make a difference in healthcare. Even though I don't want, want to be a doctor, I think there's many different ways to be involved in the healthcare system.
[00:35:45] Speaker A: That's good. Yeah, that's good. Well that's good to know. Let's see. So what would you share with other parents who are wondering how to help their children discover and nurture their God given potential like you and you know, think about your journey with, you know, with your wife and you know, raising them.
[00:36:09] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
You have as a parents, you cannot do it all by yourself. It's. You really have to absolutely mobilize resources, including the community, including any resources that you can have access to.
But on top of all that, of course prayers and God and having an anchor toward, you know, principle, biblical principle and stuff like this. It has to be because we always gonna deviate and we have to have an anchor, a reference to go back to it.
I wanna just cite something from Proverbs said, train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old, he will not depart from it.
[00:36:56] Speaker A: That's perfect.
[00:36:57] Speaker C: So that's something that I wanna, I want to share.
It's impossible to cover everything as a parent. It's impossible, right?
[00:37:06] Speaker A: Yeah. And then I was. This book is, I was reading this book the Art of Parenting by Denis Swaney and majority of the things that's covered in you can see like you know, digested in this book is similar. I see glimpses of it, of what you have shared. And then he's saying here that the art of parenting that we need to be deliberate like arrows in the hands of a warrior. So you know, so you have to be deliberate in, you know.
[00:37:36] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:37:36] Speaker A: Teaching your student, your children.
[00:37:38] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:37:39] Speaker A: So yeah.
[00:37:40] Speaker C: Yeah. I definitely. One thing I want to share with you, frankly, I don't like the hands off parenting. I don't believe in that.
[00:37:50] Speaker A: Definitely kind of like what Naku is doing. Right.
[00:37:53] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:37:55] Speaker A: Isn't it? Who's like removing the, you know, the power from the parent when here in this. The art of, you know, parenting from family life. It's university of family. So basically how you are, how they were nurtured by parents. It's really the parents. It boils down to the parents, you know, how they were nurtured. You know, you can see your harvest.
[00:38:19] Speaker C: Absolutely. Absolutely.
[00:38:20] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:38:21] Speaker C: So yeah, yeah, no, I, I don't believe in random.
[00:38:26] Speaker A: Yeah.
Yep. Yep. Especially with the public school system nowadays, you know, hopefully it will be, you know, it will be modified. Okay. So hopes looking ahead and you feel Free to jump in.
[00:38:45] Speaker C: So you want to start with hope and I can follow you this time?
[00:38:49] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, I guess I can. I mean, literally what you just said about the school system, I. I'm planning to go to school. I start attending school board meetings and. And even speaking at some.
Because I genuinely am so passionate about education. And something that I've noticed is that in the classes I genuinely enjoy and excel in and the classes in which I have teachers that are passionate about their job, I love those classes, and most students love those classes, especially at academies. My teacher there is absolutely amazing, and she's so passionate about what she does, and it's clear that the students also are. And it's an amazing environment.
While at my home school, the base school that I go to, it's clear in the past and with past teachers I've had that some of them aren't as passionate about their jobs and it definitely does negatively affect the students. And I think there's so many aspects of the education system that I have opinions on and that I do want to be an advocate for as a high school student, as somebody who is experiencing the effects of the current education system.
[00:39:57] Speaker A: Yeah. How about you voice it out right now? I mean, that's really authentic, you know, Voice it out right now. Because we are in this. We are in this culture of, like, looking at, you know, what are the.
[00:40:10] Speaker C: System of education like. I want you to share with.
I mean, we had the same concept.
I had the luxury to be a adjunct faculty in universities, some local universities here. And I knew that the education system needs some intervention, but I never talked to her about this. So all of a sudden she is. Yeah, she is. And I started to tell her, to tell her also my experience. And I agree. But we both talked about this system. The system. I mean, one example I highlighted is the fact that you go in account, you have. You have a talent and you have a passion to be advanced, and then you get pushed back to say, oh, no, no, don't take this. That. Not to mention that if you have a talent and you will not find a way to leverage and invest in this talent, that's by itself. Another big problem.
[00:41:13] Speaker A: Yeah, that's a lot of discouraging.
[00:41:16] Speaker B: And I think one thing that's huge in Loudoun and Northern Virginia is the amount of competition and the great inflation and every. The competitiveness in this area of everyone has amazing grades, amazing GPAs, amazing, amazing extracurriculars. And it's just like I've seen like the constant stress in my academies class of everyone always talking about college application since the first day of school. And I can't even make this up. College applications and what colleges they're applying to and constantly seeing, like, the seniors, what colleges they're getting into. And it's just always this, like, talk and stress. And I think that it's really, really unnecessary. And one thing that I learned about recently, we were at the library the other day and I found this book on.
It's called Teach Like Finland. I haven't started reading it yet, but Teach Like Finland. Yeah. I checked it out and I learned from reading the first, like, page or so that Finland actually, their students have been scoring the highest on the international standardized test, like, compared to every other country, which is. Which it caught me completely off guard because you would expect, like, you know, the really hard work and the cult. The work culture in, like, East Asia especially, like, you would not expect that at all. You would expect. I thought, like, the tops, the top would be China or one of those countries, but it really ended up being Finland. And I just, I looked more into it and I was like, how? And the interesting thing is Finland has the shortest amount of school days, the most amount of breaks and summer breaks and breaks from school.
[00:42:52] Speaker A: That's a lot of rest.
[00:42:52] Speaker B: Yeah. And the least amount of homework load. They don't. They barely give homework to their students. So how are they. How are they creating such high academically achieving students? And that really made me take a step back and look at, okay, what are we? Is the American education system, like, going down the right path?
[00:43:13] Speaker A: I know it is. A lot of. It needs a lot of overhaul.
[00:43:18] Speaker B: Yeah. And another thing I learned that stress can reduce a person's life expectancy the same amount that smoking can, which is crazy. And honestly, honestly, from my perspective, see.
[00:43:33] Speaker C: Now the healthcare is kicking.
[00:43:36] Speaker B: No, but genuinely, from my perspective, the stress that, like, I see so many people my age under is so, like, it's sad almost. And especially the fact that school should be a place where students learn to grow in their passions and their interests. It's more like they're just going to work, work and just like, be overridden with, like, stress almost.
[00:44:00] Speaker A: Mm. So you talked about, like, goats. You went to the school board?
[00:44:05] Speaker B: No, no, I, like, I'm planning on going. I. I haven't done anything yet. But this has become. Yeah, no, this has become a very strong, like, passion and interest in my. Of mine recently. So I definitely will be at some neck the next future school board meeting. So they should be ready.
[00:44:24] Speaker A: I think she probably Needs to be. I think I can see the lawyer.
[00:44:28] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:44:28] Speaker A: Part of her.
[00:44:30] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:44:30] Speaker A: You know. Yes, I think I can see the lawyer part of her.
[00:44:33] Speaker C: Yeah. And. And this one, I haven't involved in any, in any way shaping this idea.
[00:44:41] Speaker B: Like I just randomly came to him.
[00:44:43] Speaker C: I didn't take her to any events or we had any prior discussion. She just came with it. And I said, absolutely. I mean, continue, continue. Think about, continue doing, doing what you want, but this is an excellent way to.
[00:44:54] Speaker B: And it really genuinely is all based on patterns I've noticed around being in high school right now and around like experiencing all these things throughout the education system. That really is what this passion has been built off of. And based on my experiences and the experience that I've seen from my friends and my peers, I genuinely do believe that this, something needs to change. And I really, I hope I can make some sort of difference in it.
[00:45:21] Speaker A: That is neat. That is neat. I. I think that it's knitted. It's knitted. Yeah. So is this mom. What is mom's job?
[00:45:31] Speaker C: You wanna.
[00:45:31] Speaker B: Yeah, she works for the World Bank.
[00:45:34] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:45:36] Speaker C: No, she, she's not in the finance side, but she is in developing countries.
[00:45:40] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:45:41] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:45:42] Speaker C: So she, she does help countries.
First of all, she, she had a long experience moving in different regions. Asia, South America, helping countries, developing their economic kind of improvement and stuff like this.
She travels and then that's why her schedule is very tough. She travels to Africa to variety of region to improve.
[00:46:14] Speaker B: She was just in Ethiopia.
[00:46:16] Speaker A: Wow. And then you haven't been with her in her travel.
[00:46:20] Speaker C: No, no, because she travels during school time. But she comes back and she, she's also. But thanks for, for highlighting that. She, she's very involved in, in, in their also passion side of the.
I am on a, on a hard side stuff like subjects, all the linear stuff.
[00:46:42] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:46:42] Speaker C: But she's, she's more involved in the, in the, the well being.
The overall kind of personality.
[00:46:52] Speaker B: Yeah. Like the shaping of character almost.
[00:46:54] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:46:55] Speaker A: The woman. That's the woman's side.
[00:46:57] Speaker C: Yes, yes. The mom's side.
[00:46:59] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:46:59] Speaker A: The mother's side. Yeah. You can see how. God.
[00:47:01] Speaker C: Okay. How do you eat healthy? But since they are baby of school, how do you. Healthy.
No formula.
Sleep. Sleep well.
You know, when we went to the.
[00:47:14] Speaker B: Beach, she was always so stressed when we went to the beach. Like, don't go too deep and all that.
[00:47:18] Speaker C: No, more important, the sunscreen.
[00:47:20] Speaker B: The sunscreen. Oh yeah.
[00:47:23] Speaker C: So. So this, this overall well being is. That's her, her part, right? Traveling and entertainment. That's Also, Also her side.
[00:47:31] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:47:32] Speaker C: I am on the business. Technology.
[00:47:39] Speaker A: Yeah. I can see like the little lawyer there. Like, I'm thinking maybe, you know, I think so. Do you have like plans like forward. Moving forward? Do you have like right now, do you have like. Oh, this is my. This. These are some of the schools that I will apply to for college. Yeah. Did you go to that point?
[00:47:59] Speaker C: Do you want to wait not to reveal that now?
[00:48:01] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:48:02] Speaker C: She's looking for really, really competitive programs.
[00:48:05] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:48:06] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:48:06] Speaker C: I mean, it's really low that you wanted to be, but the principle stays with them.
It's not about top college or middle tier college. It's about how do I continue my journey in the right way. How do I align myself so I can get into the goal I want to.
We did it well in middle school, but definitely very well in high school. Hopefully that that will continue on. So that's the important thing is how do I get into the environment that I can excel even beyond high school and prepare for the. For real life.
[00:48:49] Speaker A: Right. And I like the way she, you know, she phrased it. You know, I think deep in her heart she really wants to make an impact in the difference.
[00:48:56] Speaker C: Exactly.
[00:48:57] Speaker A: So, you know, great job planting those characters and values in your children like early on.
[00:49:03] Speaker C: That's very important. And the same for Antonia, believe it or not. I want to. I want to mention something going back to what I said about Antonia has exactly the same passion in a different way, of course, using her skills. Antonia also was selected multiple times during her middle school at least two years to be an ambassador to help minority students, students with problems.
So both of them in this sense, in terms of the society connection and feel like they want to contribute to society.
That that is growing in them and I wanted them to continue on.
[00:49:46] Speaker A: That is awesome. Yeah. Now Antonia is not into like her yet. Right. Is he. Is she looking forward to college and then does.
[00:49:55] Speaker C: She is very much.
[00:49:57] Speaker B: Oh my gosh. Literally me and her were debating over this very much. Yeah.
[00:50:02] Speaker C: I mean, if she get a minus, that's it. I mean, that means that she's. Her dream is. Is shattered. Yes.
[00:50:08] Speaker B: Oh, no.
[00:50:09] Speaker A: She reminds me of my youngest son. She's a perfectionist.
[00:50:14] Speaker B: Yes, she is.
[00:50:15] Speaker A: She is.
[00:50:16] Speaker B: I feel like I'm the more like easygoing. Really.
I get stressed every now and then, but Antonia, she. Every single day.
[00:50:26] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:50:27] Speaker B: But she's a really hard worker and it shows.
[00:50:29] Speaker C: Yeah. A minus in one. One quiz. It means like. Okay, okay. The. Her dream for getting number one college is done.
[00:50:36] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:50:37] Speaker C: Oh, it's Over.
[00:50:38] Speaker A: Oh, man.
[00:50:39] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:50:40] Speaker A: How did you. How do you intervene with that?
[00:50:43] Speaker C: So I try, I try to explain which is a very. I have a very hard time getting this concept to her. I said this is not the only criteria is your grade is not the only. Especially for college. You have a. You have a circle and you need to close the circle on. On variety of things. You have to excel in your extra curriculum. You have to be beyond mechanical.
Being a. A plus student. It's not enough.
[00:51:09] Speaker A: Yeah, right.
[00:51:10] Speaker C: It's not enough.
[00:51:10] Speaker A: You have to have a balance.
[00:51:12] Speaker C: Yes. So.
So I try over time. I take her recently, I took her to one of the colleges she visited and she interacted with the department chairs and other. Other students in those colleges and she tried to match what I was telling her versus the reality, giving the exposure to those and the experience she had. So we're trying to help in this area, but it's not easy.
Easy communication.
[00:51:45] Speaker A: Yeah. I have an additional question, if you don't mind. Yeah. So you mentioned the probability 5, which is very, you know, not Proverbs 3, 5, 6. Train the child in the way he should go. It's proverbs.
[00:51:57] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:51:58] Speaker A: Yeah. So I wonder what your spiritual life growing up like, did you take them to a certain church congregation?
[00:52:07] Speaker C: Absolutely, absolutely. They have to. And they go to Sunday school. So when they were very young.
[00:52:12] Speaker A: What's. What church here in Loudon we go to.
[00:52:15] Speaker C: To.
You want to know? No. Stop. Acronym. Just say the spell this church.
[00:52:20] Speaker B: St. Timothy and St. Athanasius Coptic Church, which everyone. We call the acronym STSA.
[00:52:26] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:52:27] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:52:27] Speaker C: But early enough they had. I take them to Bible competition. Bible summer school.
[00:52:34] Speaker A: Oh, like the Awana. Like the CBS community Bible School.
[00:52:39] Speaker C: Yes. But they, they have a Bible bee. I. I don't know.
[00:52:43] Speaker A: National Bible Bee. Yes, the one that we host. Yeah, we hosted National Bible Bee.
[00:52:47] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:52:47] Speaker C: Yes, we hosted one in our house.
Yes. When they were elementary school. So they went to all Sunday schools.
[00:52:56] Speaker A: Like what age were they when you started in elementary?
[00:52:59] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:53:00] Speaker A: Wow, this is a good segue because, you know, first, you know, April 1st is, you know.
[00:53:05] Speaker C: Yes, yes. Starting.
[00:53:06] Speaker A: Yeah, it's starting.
[00:53:06] Speaker B: April.
[00:53:07] Speaker C: So talk about it like, yes, I got this competition. They were. They were not as disciplined as I want them because they don't. It's very hard to do. And that, that's why I have an appreciation of people that do homeschooling. I don't know how they do it. This is, this is not. I mean, I am exhausted just being, being on the side, helping them on the Side. But. But the Bible school is something that. That was also. They were not following, but we had. Sometimes we sit on the deck outside in the summer, try to take lesson by lesson. They go out, they don't finish the test.
But definitely one thing is it's amazing. Amazing organization, amazing material. Amazing. I mean, it seems like very.
[00:53:57] Speaker A: The way you parrot them, I can see.
[00:54:00] Speaker C: Yeah. But the Bible bee material is something.
[00:54:03] Speaker A: Super hard, and that's very hard.
[00:54:05] Speaker C: Not only hard, but the. The investment it's done there is very good quality. Top quality. I learned from it, too.
[00:54:11] Speaker B: Can I talk about the mission trips? Mission trips?
[00:54:14] Speaker C: Oh, yeah.
[00:54:15] Speaker A: And then mission trips.
[00:54:16] Speaker C: Oh, yes. And then. And then.
[00:54:18] Speaker A: And then our listeners would learn from you. This is. This is good.
[00:54:23] Speaker B: Yeah. So with sdsa, with our church, they do mission trips for every single age. And I really started getting involved in it when I was in high school. So, like, my first year of high school, so we went to Atlanta.
We went to a county an hour outside of Atlanta called. I think it's Clark's, Clarkston, Georgia. It's basically like the home of the most refugee refugees in all of America. And what we did was we just helped package food for all the refugees. We went door to door. We talked to these refugees. We played with some of the kids.
I went two years to Atlanta for the mission trip. So that was the first year. And then the second year when we went back to Atlanta, we did a little bit of different things. And we helped volunteer at a summer camp for underprivileged children. And we helped to repaint this entire park, their whole playground. We, like, completely. It was rusted. And we sanded the poles and stuff down. We painted it. We painted an entire mural in one of the parks as well. And that one was also. It was such a fun experience. And when we went there, we would always partner up with this one church from Atlanta. And so by doing that, we. We got to make so many friends with people from Atlanta. And I still talk to some of them to this day.
[00:55:45] Speaker A: She loves it. You can tell I love it. She's very interpersonal learner.
But I can tell that it seems like it impacted your life in a way that you probably. You have, you know, because they have great character. And then they are bright. Not just bright, but they are grounded in. So that's why I was like, you know, thinking maybe, yeah, maybe you're grounded with the Bible.
[00:56:12] Speaker C: And that's part what you said. I was not familiar with the book that you mentioned, which looks like excellent, but that's the part, you are not going to be able. You're not going to be able to do it on your own. So you have to involve the community from spiritual angle, you have to involve the community from the school angle, teacher angle, friends angle, and you have to be selective and of course, supplemental educational angle.
[00:56:37] Speaker B: The friends. When I had to learn the hard way throughout high school, they always told me the lesson of surround yourself with the right people. And that one, you always hear it, but you don't really, like, learn it and put it into practice until you actually experience it. And I think that's an important lesson that I think a lot of kids should learn, especially when they're younger.
[00:56:59] Speaker A: Wow. Yeah, this is a very good one. Well, thank you so much for coming. And I think these are great lessons that our listeners can get from. So this is how you raise your children in a biblical way and grounded, you know, how to raise them academically, you know, and focused and with character and values. And I think this is something of the things that we should be doing.
[00:57:25] Speaker C: Absolutely.
[00:57:26] Speaker A: You know, from now on.
[00:57:27] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:57:28] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, thank you so much.
[00:57:30] Speaker B: Thank you for having us.
[00:57:31] Speaker C: Yes, thank you.
