Prepped and Polished with Alexis Avila. LF021
Alexis Avila joins me on the Learning on Fire podcast and explores the most important learning and educational moments that shaped his life.
Our guest – Alexis Avila
Frequently quoted by U.S. News & World Report, Alexis founded Prepped and Polished to help elementary, secondary, college-level, and adult students improve their grades and test scores. While tutoring for several small and large commercial test prep companies, Alexis envisioned growing his own independent educational services company run entirely by educators, for the love of education. Alexis and other members of the Prepped and Polished team have collectively traveled one hundred thousand miles to educate students in person, working with well over a thousand families. Described by students as supportive, patient, and enthusiastic, Alexis has helped students and adults gain confidence, maximize their academic potential, and achieve dramatically improved grades and test scores.
Alexis is a certified school guidance counselor, grades Pre K-12, and holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (a US News ranked top-five Counseling Psychology program), as well as a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Alexis also spent his junior year living in Seville, Spain through the Cornell, Pennsylvania, University of Michigan study abroad program. Alexis completed a two day seminar in Executive Function disorder, as well as a one day seminar on Advanced Strategies to Improve Executive Function Skills, all through the Landmark School Outreach Program. Alexis regularly speaks nationally about tutoring, test preparation, and students with learning challenges to parents and professionals at schools and conferences across the US, including SEPAC organizations in Dover, Sudbury, and Wayland, MA, as well as the IECA and CollegeWeek Live.
Alexis is the Test Prep Expert columnist for Answers.com, and both writes and produces videos for his educational blog, which has over 300 videos and podcasts. He interviews educators, mentors, and inspiring leaders on his Prepped and Polished Podcast. Alexis leads SAT Math Strategies and SAT Strategy Secrets Workshops at various local high schools, as well as administers the ACT-SAT Test Prep Selector Diagnostic and Evaluation at several college fairs.
Alexis is a member of professional organizations such as the University of Michigan Alumni Association (Alumni Student Recruiter); and also non-profit organizations such as Bridge over Troubled Waters, Mass Mentoring, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and Community Servings. An active member of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America since 2003, Alexis was nominated in 2010 as one of the final five finalists for Big Brother of the Year. Alexis ran in three Boston Marathons from 2012-2014, collectively raising 15,000 dollars for two youth mentoring programs, Mass Mentoring and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America.
Questions asked on the Learning on Fire Podcast Interview
- Who are you?
- What does your life look like now and how is it different from when you were growing up?
- What was valuable about your school experience?
- Which teachers do you remember and why?
- Who did you admire when you were young?
- What was it about that person that had such an impact?
- What was the best piece of advice you have ever been given and who gave it to you?
- What advice would you give your younger self?
- What does your future look like?
- What podcast, book, video, film, song or other resource has had the biggest impact on your life and why?
Resources mentioned
12 Rules For Life – Jordan B. Peterson
Secrets Self-Made Millionaires Teach Their Kids – Steve Siebold
Contact information
www.preppedandpolished.com
facebook.com/
twitter.com/preppedpolished
instagram.com/
preppedandpolished.com/podcast
Show Sponsor
National Association for Primary Education
Our aim is to achieve a higher priority for the education of children from birth to 13. High quality learning in the early years of life is vitally important to the creation of an educated society. Young children are not simply preparing for the future, they are living a never to be repeated time of life and the best way to learn is to live.
Running a successful company aged 24 with Zach Hesterberg. LF020
Zach Hesterberg joins me on the Learning on Fire podcast and explores the most important learning and educational moments that shaped his life.
Our guest – Zach Hesterberg
Zach is a Facebook Advertising expert and public speaker. He currently runs a company called SoZesty which is a premium lead generation and ecommerce ads agency for B2C based businesses.
He also interviews entrepreneurs and gets them to share their strategies on how they have built 6, 7 and 8 figure businesses on his podcast, The Art of Obtaining Clients.
Questions asked on the Learning on Fire Podcast Interview
- Who are you?
- What does your life look like now and how is it different from when you were growing up?
- What was valuable about your school experience?
- Which teachers do you remember and why?
- Who did you admire when you were young?
- What was it about that person that had such an impact?
- What was the best piece of advice you have ever been given and who gave it to you?
- What advice would you give your younger self?
- What does your future look like?
- What podcast, book, video, film, song or other resource has had the biggest impact on your life and why?
Resources mentioned
Zach’s podcast – artofobtainingclients.com
Contact information
https://www.facebook.com/zhesterberg
https://www.instagram.com/zachhesterberg/
Show Sponsor
National Association for Primary Education
Our aim is to achieve a higher priority for the education of children from birth to 13. High quality learning in the early years of life is vitally important to the creation of an educated society. Young children are not simply preparing for the future, they are living a never to be repeated time of life and the best way to learn is to live.
Unknown future careers with Steve Stewart. LF019
Steve Stewart joins me on the Learning on Fire podcast and explores the most important learning and educational moments that shaped his life.
Our guest – Steve Stewart
Steve Stewart is a husband, father, hater of DEBT, and has recently gone through a tremendous change in his business.
Steve’s professional background takes him through a journey from retail management in the music industry
– to internal auditing a fast food chain
– to debt counseling and financial coaching.
However, what he is doing now will leave you scratching your head until you hear how all those little puzzle pieces laid the path into his new career: Podcast Editing.
He and his wife live in St. Louis, Missouri with their 16 year old daughter and dog named Cooper.
We talk about how to prepare for future careers that have not been invented yet!
Questions asked on the Learning on Fire Podcast Interview
- Who are you?
- What does your life look like now and how is it different from when you were growing up?
- What was valuable about your school experience?
- Which teachers do you remember and why?
- Who did you admire when you were young?
- What was it about that person that had such an impact?
- What was the best piece of advice you have ever been given and who gave it to you?
- What advice would you give your younger self?
- What does your future look like?
- What podcast, book, video, film, song or other resource has had the biggest impact on your life and why?
Resources mentioned
Everyday Millionaires – Chris Hogan
Millionaire Next Door – Thomas J. Stanley , PH.D
The Next Millionaire Next Door – Thomas J. Stanley and his daughter Sarah Stanley Fallaw
The Stacking Benjamins Podcast
Contact information
https://twitter.com/
Podcast Editors Club group on Facebook: http://podcasteditors.club
Show Sponsor
National Association for Primary Education
Our aim is to achieve a higher priority for the education of children from birth to 13. High quality learning in the early years of life is vitally important to the creation of an educated society. Young children are not simply preparing for the future, they are living a never to be repeated time of life and the best way to learn is to live.
Dinner Table Math with Angela McIver. LF018
Angela McIver joins me on the Learning on Fire podcast and explores the most important learning and educational moments that shaped her life.
Our guest – Angela McIver
I am a Philadelphia resident and small business owner. In 2014, I opened Trapezium Math Club® – an after-school math program that serves students in grades k-5 in the Philadelphia area. I completed my PhD at the University of Pennsylvania and wrote a dissertation on Understanding the Numerical Reasoning of Middle School Students. My experiences interviewing children all over the country about their understanding of basic math concepts led me to develop math materials that are both engaging and confidence-building for young children. I continue to explore ways to teach challenging math to very young children through Trapezium Math Club®. Dinner Table Math® was designed to give parents the tools they need to build fearless, confident math learners at home.
Questions asked on the Learning on Fire Podcast Interview
- Who are you?
- What does your life look like now and how is it different from when you were growing up?
- What was valuable about your school experience?
- Which teachers do you remember and why?
- Who did you admire when you were young?
- What was it about that person that had such an impact?
- What was the best piece of advice you have ever been given and who gave it to you?
- What advice would you give your younger self?
- What does your future look like?
- What podcast, book, video, film, song or other resource has had the biggest impact on your life and why?
Resources mentioned
How I Built This Podcast – Guy Raz
Contact information
Instagram @dinnertablemath
Facebook DinnerTableMaTH
Twitter @angelamciver
Show Sponsor
National Association for Primary Education
Our aim is to achieve a higher priority for the education of children from birth to 13. High quality learning in the early years of life is vitally important to the creation of an educated society. Young children are not simply preparing for the future, they are living a never to be repeated time of life and the best way to learn is to live.
How to live after the death of a parent with Jim Harte. LF017
Jim Harte joins me on the Learning on Fire podcast and explores the most important learning and educational moments that shaped his life.
Our guest – Jim Harte
Jim has over 37 years coaching and teaching experience. His programs have been recognized for Creativity and Innovation in PE and Recess.
Jim has held a Florida teaching certificate for over 35 years. He has taught in both public and private schools. Physical Education programs created by Jim have won three international character-development awards:
2009 – “The Clipboard and The List”
2010 – “The Student-led 10-minute Talk”
2011 – “The Alliance”
Jim has won several “Teacher of the Year” awards.
In July, 2018 the Tampa Bay Times named Jim one of the top 50 coaches in Tampa Bay history – all sports, all levels – professional, collegiate, scholastic. Jim was selected #19.
Jim has recently completed a 36-year high school coaching career. He holds several FHSAA coaching records including most state championships (6), best coaching record in Final Four games (15-5), and most games coached (913). His career coaching record is 554-259-100 (Wins-Losses-Draws)
Numerous young people have been helped into college, pro, and international playing careers by Harte. He has also mentored many players that now have established coaching and teaching careers. He is a member of the Clearwater Central Catholic High School Hall of Fame.
Jim is Founder and President of Marauder Soccer Camp, Inc – founded in 1981. Over 10,000 young players have attended Marauder Soccer Camp over the years. Many of them have gone on to work for the camp in leadership roles. After moving into professional life many of them return to mentor future coaches on the staff.
Jim has been a fixture on the Tampa Bay youth soccer scene for almost four decades. He currently works for the West Florida Flames Eastlake Soccer Club in the capacities of Academy Director and TOPS soccer Director. Prior to Flames Jim spent almost 20 years in leadership roles in several other local soccer clubs.
Jim was on the Florida Youth Soccer Association Olympic Development Program Coaching staff for many years including serving as state team head coach as well as instructor for state F, E, and D License courses.
Jim served as Assistant Coach at Eckerd College for three years (1985-87).
Training and Philosophy
Jim earned a BS in Physical Education in 1980 from Quincy University in Quincy, IL. Over the years he has obtained numerous coaching licenses including USSF A and NSCAA Advanced National Diploma as well as a KNVB coaching certificate obtained in Holland. Further training includes the FranklinCovey Seven Habits signature training as well as Character Education Partnership “11 Principles of a School of Character” training. This combination of soccer, education, character training and experience makes Jim unique.
Jim’s personal coaching and teaching philosophy is to develop the whole individual with a special emphasis on sound fundamentals and a principled foundation.
Questions asked on the Learning on Fire Podcast Interview
- Who are you?
- What does your life look like now and how is it different from when you were growing up?
- What was valuable about your school experience?
- Which teachers do you remember and why?
- Who did you admire when you were young?
- What was it about that person that had such an impact?
- What was the best piece of advice you have ever been given and who gave it to you?
- What advice would you give your younger self?
- What does your future look like?
- What podcast, book, video, film, song or other resource has had the biggest impact on your life and why?
Resources mentioned
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Covey
Good to be Great – Jim Collins
Swim with the Sharks – Harvey MacKay
Ice to the Eskimos – Jon Spoelstra
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln – Doris Kearns Goodwin
Contact information
Twitter – @msccamp
Show Sponsor
National Association for Primary Education
Our aim is to achieve a higher priority for the education of children from birth to 13. High quality learning in the early years of life is vitally important to the creation of an educated society. Young children are not simply preparing for the future, they are living a never to be repeated time of life and the best way to learn is to live.