Our Succes Stories

Building A Relationship

When Ashlee began working with my children in 2009, I knew we had found the perfect match. My children are very different, and she was able to get to know each of them in a very personal and professional way, earning their trust and respect, quickly. Although they have both graduated, they still consider her a friend/mentor and get a tune up whenever college courses or life circumstances present new challenges. They trust her to always be there. We never knew when we started that we were building a relationship that would become an extension of our family. As a parent, I always know Ashlee is always someone I can confide in and that she cares deeply for my kids.

Ashlee was always very prepared and organized. She had a depth of knowledge about many academic subjects and the emotional and social issues concerning children. She was able to look beyond learning differences and help my children learn to embrace their strengths and teach them strategies to work within their areas of challenge. She was professional, reliable and trustworthy when it came to sensitive issues and circumstance about our children.

She even helped collaborate on health and emotional issues that were affecting the academic life of our children. She met with the guidance counselors and teachers on our behalf on numerous occasions. We are forever grateful and look forward to a continuing relationship with her. I would highly recommend her compassionate and talented services.

~JTR

Discovering My Learning Style

My experience with Mrs. Ashlee has been more beneficial than I could have ever imagined it to be. From our first meeting, she made it her responsibility to discover who I was both as a student and a person. She pointed out, not just my weaknesses, but primarily my strengths, which grew my confidence as a student and enabled us to create personalized test taking strategies and set academic goals.

We spent hours of one-on-one ACT prep, homework help, and academic strategizing, and by the end of my time with her she knew me better than any of my school teachers possibly could. Miss Ashlee was my biggest advocate and was always willing to sit down with my teachers or parents to discuss any challenges I faced.

Her confidence in my ability to succeed never waivered, and she was always searching to find better strategies that best suited me. She served as an academic counselor and was my go-to person to discuss class options, college applications, and anything that I felt weighed on my academic experience.

Miss Ashlee always pushed me to accomplish what I was unsure I could, and was always accessible when I needed an encouraging text. Because of her extensive understanding of who I was, she was able to write me a shining letter of recommendation for my college applications. I was able to reach my greatest academic potential by discovering what type of learner I was, which is invaluable to my future success in college, and if it wasn’t for her I’m not sure I would be graduating at the top of my class and attending my dream school Wake Forest University.

She Invested Herself In My Life

To say that I owe all of my academic success to Ashlee Grove would be an understatement. I started coming to Ashlee when I was in eighth grade, which was a hard time for me both academically and socially. As most eighth graders, I was trying to figure out my way in this uncomfortable world. Not only did she help me pass the classes that I was failing, but she genuinely cared about my emotional state as a student, but most importantly as a friend.

I worked with Ashlee from eighth grade until I graduated high school from Randolph School. Over the course of my high school years, she helped me with just about every subject I was taking. By meeting with her twice a week, Ashlee helped me get organized so that I could focus on learning and understanding the material, instead of only on deadlines and due dates. I was learning for the sake of learning instead of just meeting the assignment minimums. This approach to school work has led me to be very successful in my college career.

As the time came for me to start my college search, I was not worried. Ashlee helped me achieve the necessary grades and laid the proper foundation so that I was able to get accepted into my dream school. I am currently a sophomore at Samford University, and have reached several achievements that would not have been possible had I not been a student of Ashlee’s. From making the Dean’s List, to being accepted into the Brock School of Business, this apprehensive eighth grade never thought I would make it this far. As opposed to graduating in four years, I will be graduating in three and a half because of the drive that Ashlee instilled in me. This drive has stuck and will continue to stick with me forever.

I now look up to Ashlee as a friend, teacher, and mentor. To this day, I would feel comfortable coming to her with anything I ever needed. Ashlee is an extraordinary woman, who I am honored took the time to invest in my life.

A Coach and Mentor I Could Trust

Mrs. Ashlee cares about more than just her students’ grades, she cares about us as people. She knows what’s going on in my life and after almost two years of being my math and science tutor, she has also become my mentor.

She can always tell when I’m stressed and she works with me deal with that. In class often our teachers have 15 or so students to attend to and so they don’t have time for every single student, so when I work with Mrs. Ashlee it’s really nice to be able to go over the material one on one, as she knows so many different ways to teach that by the end of the session, my understanding of the material is always much clearer.

Recently, I was going through a tough period with a lot of stress from school, sports, and extracurriculars, and although I didn’t initially want to talk to my parents about that stress, Mrs. Ashlee was able to facilitate that conversation and work with me to deal with that. I feel comfortable confiding in her because she is a responsible adult that I respect, but she’s not my teacher, so it’s not awkward, and she’s not my mom, so she doesn’t overreact. It is really nice to have an adult to give me advice not only on how to study and improve academically, but also about my health, my extracurriculars and just life in general. I find her input valuable in all areas of my life.

Sharing Skills Beyond The Classroom

Oh, how we love, Ashlee! She has certainly demonstrated to be far more than “just a tutor” to our three children. Over the past six plus years, she has been working closely with each of them as an academic coach, mentor and advisor.

She is extremely professional and truly concerned with their progress, both academically and socially. She is very patient and is up to date with the latest strategies and research about learning, as well as, virtual tutoring and technological solutions. She has taught them organizational skills that will help them well beyond the classroom.

She made scheduling very easy for us by coordinating with the school and our children, while meeting with them on campus during free periods, study halls or immediately after school. She also works closely with the teachers and school counselors to make sure that every need of our children is fully met.

She began working with our oldest child, who is now a sophomore at Samford University, when she was in the eighth grade. The five years she invested in her have paid off tenfold. Our daughter, who was diagnosed with ADD in middle school, has been on the Dean’s list, is an active member of her sorority, has been accepted to Samford’ Brock School of Business and has been elected as a member of the BSOB Senate. Ultimately, she will graduate with a degree in Business Management in three and a half years.

Ashlee has been working with our son, who is now a senior in high school, since he was in the sixth grade. He too, was diagnosed with ADD, as well as, depression, during his sophomore year. Ashlee, along with a school counselor, brought it to our attention that he was struggling emotionally. Due to Ashlee being so tuned into our son’s personality, we were able to get him the help he needed. We are very grateful and appreciative to her for her compassion toward our son. As a senior, he has been accepted to all four colleges he applied too. He will attend Auburn University in the fall where he will begin his studies in the College of Engineering. Lastly, Ashlee has been working with our sixth grader for two years now. We are already seeing the benefits of starting her earlier with Ashlee than we did our older two children. Ashlee has been able to instill in her organizational skills and good study habits at a young age. As a result, we feel we are heading off problems that could arise as she progresses in school and the workload becomes more difficult.

We are very grateful to Ashlee for all of the time and energy she puts forth to help our children. Our experience with Ashlee has proven to be nothing short of a success for each of them. We truly cannot say enough good things about her. We highly recommend her and are very thankful for all she has done and continues to do for our family.

~SP