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View all programs You helped turn on a light switch in Shelby’s mind
13 March 2024
14-year-old Shelby is an energetic child excited about his future, and with a clear vision of where his education might lead him. But Shelby and his mum, Sandy, have certainly faced some challenges together over the years.
Life got especially difficult when Sandy was studying to get a better job. She had to cut down her work hours. Surviving on a lower income – combined with the study demands – made life very challenging.
“We were living week to week,” Sandy says. “Shelby had also just started high school and was having a really difficult time. He was starting to notice that he was a little bit behind compared to his peers.”
All young people need guidance and encouragement to achieve their potential. But this hardship and stress made it much harder for Sandy to support Shelby’s education as much as she wanted to. Shelby had so many strengths, but he was struggling to reach his goals.
That’s why Sandy was thrilled that Shelby could access extra learning programs thanks to generous supporters like you, who know that every child needs the right support to do well in life.
At the time, Shelby was coming home and getting really frustrated that he wasn’t quite getting it, especially with his maths. “It was really hard,” says Shelby. “I’d want to go home and do simple maths homework, but I just couldn’t do it. It did make me mad and sad because I had no idea what to do.”
Your kind gifts gave Shelby access to The Smith Family program called Catch-Up Learning. Twice a week, he began receiving one-on-one literacy and numeracy tutoring, with qualified teachers. At first tutoring was hard – Shelby didn’t always get the results he hoped for. But Shelby didn’t give up and soon began to grasp tough maths concepts with his tutor’s help. What happened next was phenomenal. Shelby’s overall learning and mindset began to transform! Sandy noticed her son now seemed excited to go to school. He was finally ‘getting it’.
It’s like a light switch just changed for him, You could see his mood changed. He was more confident with what he was doing at school. He caught up to where he needed to be.
Thanks to your support, Shelby could receive this tutoring for two terms, and this helped remove learning blocks that were holding him back at school.
Today, Shelby’s confidence continues to grow. He is in Year 9 and knows maths is important in all aspects of life. He is channelling his new skills gained from the Catch-Up Learning program into practical subjects, like woodwork. Shelby is even exploring a new and exciting pathway for his future.
“I feel like I’m getting better at maths. It’s helping me with understanding the calculations and the measurements in woodwork. You need math to learn other things in life, like woodwork.
“I do like working with my hands, because I can see things come to life,” says Shelby. “When I finish school, I want to be a carpenter and I want to run my own business. I want to build my mum a house – it’s a dream goal for me.”
Shelby feels proud of how far he’s come with your generous support. It feels amazing that he can do things now that he couldn’t do before.
“By supporting students like me, you are showing that you care about someone out there,” he says. “Thank you – you’re creating brighter futures for
students in need.”
Read more student and family stories in our Autumn 2024 edition of Real People, Real Stories
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