Laurel Springs School Partners with Right to Dream, Provides Online Education to West African Student-Athletes Following COVID-19 Travel Restrictions, School Closures
Leading online private K-12 school partners with Ghana-based soccer academy to prevent missed U.S. scholarship opportunities due to COVID-19 crisis, provides high-caliber education for West African youth soccer athletes
WEST CHESTER Pa., and OJAI, Calif., Oct. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Laurel Springs School, a leader in online K-12 education, today announced an academic partnership with Right to Dream, an international charitable organization that provides elite soccer training, character development, and educational opportunities for youth athletes in West Africa.
While Right to Dream students annually win scholarships to prestigious boarding schools in the U.S., the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has impacted their ability to travel and fulfill those scholarships. By partnering with Laurel Springs, which has been cited as the first online K-12 school, Right to Dream students will now receive a fully accredited, U.S.-based education without traveling abroad.
"The Right to Dream Academy in Ghana is delighted to start our partnership with Laurel Springs, and we are excited by the opportunity for some of our students to start their first year of American high school remotely," said Robin Bourne-Taylor, Managing Director of Right to Dream. "It has been a difficult year in many areas of education, and we are thrilled to offer our students a high-quality, accredited solution that allows them to continue their learning without falling behind or missing scholarship opportunities."
Currently, seven Ghanaian and Ivorian students are enrolled with Right to Dream and Laurel Springs, including Abigail D., 15, of Accra, Ghana.
Passionate both as a player on the field and student in the classroom, Abigail is a Right to Dream student who was slated to attend school in the U.S. on a scholarship this fall. However, travel and school opening restrictions forced her to change her plans, and Abigail now attends Laurel Springs as an online student.
"I am very grateful at the opportunity [sic] as it is helping to keep my dreams alive," she said.
Abigail joined Right to Dream at 11 years old and has taken particular interest in robotics, community service, and drama.
"With the support of the Right to Dream U.S. charity, Abigail has been enrolled in remote learning at Laurel Springs to complete her freshman year of high school remotely," said Bourne-Taylor. "This means that she will be able to take up her intended scholarship next summer in the U.S."
Laurel Springs' student body represents all 50 states and more than 90 countries around the world, and the school—which is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and Cognia—currently offers more than 175 college prep, 40 honors and Advanced Placement, and 100 elective courses, all delivered online.
"Partnering with organizations like Right to Dream is an incredibly important component of the work we do at Laurel Springs," said Aaron Mitich, Director of Partnership Development at Laurel Springs. "The COVID-19 crisis created a hugely detrimental impact on the plans of students around the world, including those Right to Dream students who planned to travel to the U.S. this year. We are proud to do our part in keeping their education on track, as well as providing academic support and resources that might not have been available to them in their home countries."
According to Right to Dream, the academic partnership with Laurel Springs may not only be a temporary solution during the pandemic: in fact, online learning options could become a permanent fixture for the organization.
"Our partnership with Laurel Springs will help us transition through an extremely difficult time," said Bourne-Taylor. "It also opens up some really interesting options for high-level remote learning for us to consider in the future."
To learn more about how a partnership with Laurel Springs can help your students achieve academic success, please contact the Partnerships team at 877-775-0372 or [email protected].
About Laurel Springs School
Laurel Springs School is a fully accredited private online school offering a challenging K-12 and Postgraduate academic program that engages global learners and values students as individuals. Our school is designed for the college preparatory student who wishes to grow and excel academically and personally while maintaining a flexible schedule. Laurel Springs has an outstanding record of placing its graduates into selective colleges and universities of their choice in the U.S. and throughout the world.
To learn more about Laurel Springs School, visit www.laurelsprings.com.
About Right to Dream
Right to Dream Academy Ghana is a fully residential football academy and Cambridge International School that is home to over 90 students from across West Africa. Opened in 2009, the academy combines elite football coaching, Cambridge accredited schooling and a tailored Character Development programme to develop the future leaders and role models within sport, business and academia.
Our Mission: Developing a future generation of global leaders by identifying talented children and providing them with a transformational foundation in Education, Character Development and Football. Empowering them with the opportunity to access further world class development pathways, to support their first steps towards changing their reality, and developing their communities, country and continent.
To learn more about Right to Dream, visit www.RightToDream.com.
SOURCE Laurel Springs School
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