About the Creators

Dr. Alan Seamons completed post-doctoral work in Supply Chain Management, earned an EdD and Masters in Instructional Design, and a Bachelors degree in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Engineering.  Karen earned a Masters degree in International Service-Learning and a Bachelor of Education in English Literature and Music.  Between them they have 11 children and a growing number of grandchildren.  Their vast experience includes K-12 and post-secondary teaching, curriculum development, research, teaching learning theory, and business incubation.  Besides raising children, they have participated in training and development nationally and internationally. Recently the Seamons had the opportunity to volunteer in a project organized to assist the homeless, addicted and destitute in an inner city.  Not West LA or the Bronx, but a relatively small, mid-western city, conservative in nature and quite family-oriented.  It didn’t take long for them to find their particular niche: the children.  Given their background and experience they soon assembled a small group of children who were identified as being “at risk” to advance to the next school grade.  This came as a result of the challenges inherent within their home lives.After a little research, parent interviews and some student assessments, it was concluded that these children all possessed adequate knowledge and ability to advance and compete with their more fortunate peers. What they lacked was parental support.  Beyond mere rhetoric and the token word of encouragement, these kids all needed someone to encourage and stimulate them to complete their homework on a daily basis.  That is what was provided.  It was amazing how quickly the children caught up to the rest of their classmates.What a tragedy it could have been.  Bright, eager, energetic children teetering on the edge of failure leading to lives of struggle and heartache all contingent upon consistency of encourage so lacking in their unstable surroundings.  Intervention didn’t require degrees or experience, just a small amount of genuine concern consistently applied over time.

This experience led the Seamons to pursue their dream of helping children realize their potential.  “We must light and fuel the individual spark of inquiry to propel a child through a life of success and contentment before destructive habits and attitudes form.”  This spark of inquiry starts with the ability to read.