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Every Hero Story Has This…

Every hero needs a guide — meet the expert mentors who help clever, quirky kids discover and develop their powers.

By Sam Young 5 min read
Every Hero Story Has This…

In every Hero Story there is always a guide. There is always a mentor who helps the hero come into themselves and do what they could not do themselves. Our hero is already extraordinary, but they often don’t see their own powers.

More often than not, it’s not even clear that our hero is a true hero until the mentor sets them on their journey of rebirth and growth.

Heroes become heroes because:

  1. they posses unique characteristics that make them amazing
  2. they are supported by mentors who see their amazingness and develop it

Are you looking for more mentors for your hero?

Meet these 8 expert mentors who have dedicated their lives to guiding your hero on their journey and helping them self-actualize:

Dr. Jade Rivera

Dr. Jade Rivera is a compassionate educator with over fifteen years of experience teaching 2e children! She is a published author who founded a famous 2e micro school!

In 2016 she was designated an honoree for distinguished service by the California Association for the Gifted.

She was named a “person to watch in the 2e movement” by 2e News.

Check out Jade’s courses: Chemistry, Cultivating Creativity, and Advocacy/Social Change

Jackson Pearce

Jackson Pearce is an author of over 15 books for young readers that have been translated into over twenty languages around the world! She has taught creative writing classes, camps, and seminars for kids for over ten years.

Jackson takes a fun, student-lead approach reading where students are encouraged to read unconventional books that they’re actually interested in! Wild idea, right? Students are encouraged to go deeper and make personal connection in a rich, supportive, environment!

Check out Jackson’s courses: Book Club and Creative Writing

Mr. David Salch

Mr. David Salch is a retired tech executive and experienced teacher who has successfully taught over 10,000 students across several platforms, schools, and approaches.

Mr. Salch has perfected the art of online teaching with hands-on activities in an exciting and inviting environment. The focus in all of his courses is helping students climb Blooms Taxonomy beyond mere memorization and well into problem solving.

He believes each child is unique with a unique set of strengths and challenges and that his role is to help them building success on the strengths and overcome challenges.

Check out Mr. Salch’s courses: Robotics and Engineering

Megan Hardy

Megan Hardy is a Professional DM and Mother to neurodivergent kids. She loves role playing games, science fiction, comics and just about anything geeky. She is an expert at building D&D campaigns around individual needs and has taught over 4000 students!

Megan believes that “Dungeons and Dragons is the best way to help kiddos make leaps and bounds” in creativity, problem solving, collaboration, socializing, and confidence-building. Megan believes that learning is a fun process when approached through the window of something the child already loves whether that is gaming, comic books or anything that has captured their mind.

Check out Megan’s Dungeons and Dragons Quests

Nelson Dean

Nelson Dean has been an educator for the last twenty years, working with students of all ages and backgrounds teaching music, history, art history, and English.

He has been a STAR teacher award recipient and teacher of the year semi-finalist for one of the largest school districts in the US! He holds a Master of Education and B.A. in History from the University of Georgia.

Nelson focuses on cultivating curiosity and educating in a way that is both fun and connective to other learning/experiences. He believes learning is a shared dialogue, where all parties bring unique perspectives and ideas to their learning environment.

Check out Nelson’s Courses: Tools of War and Weird History

Miss Anna

Miss Anna is an experienced youth mentor and top-rated educator who leads classes with humor, kindness, and an upbeat attitude while sending out positive vibes to encourage kids to do the same.

She is a master at helping students form healthy and meaningful friendships!

Miss Anna fosters a love of play-based learning and enjoys channeling her creative energy to create interactive and engaging learning experiences to help kids truly feel seen and heard in an inclusive, welcoming and fun virtual learning environment.

Check out Miss Anna’s Homeroom Social Club (enroll in at least 2 classes and get this FREE!)

Nicole P.

Nicole P. M. Ed is an educator, mom, serial entrepreneur, artist, case worker, and author with degrees in education, sociology, psychology, philosophy, and more!

Nicole believes in bringing students together through story and games. Additionally, she specializes in teaching students how to evaluate, plan, and use logic to understand the world, events, and consequences. She believes all classes must foster both critical thinking and flexible thinking as both are essential life skills.

Check out Nicole’s Homeroom Social Club (enroll in at least 2 other classes and get this FREE!)

Ms. Jackson

Ms. Jackson is a mom of 2e kiddos, theatre teaching of 26 years, and was a children’s performer for ten of those years. She owns a theatre program and has put on almost 60 shows in six years!!!

Ms. Jackson believes that EVERYONE needs and wants to be creative and expressive. As Sydney Clemens says “Art has the role in education of helping children become like themselves instead of more like everyone else” and Ms. Jackson’s goal is to allow students a safe place to explore and shine and comfortably be themselves.

Check out Ms. Jackson’s Improv Course

So… the BIG QUESTION

Which of these mentors is going to help your hero live their best life?

You can click here to explore all of the courses that these mentors are offering.

About Young Scholars Academy

Young Scholars Academy is a WASC-accredited virtual learning community offering 200+ live online courses and camps for gifted or 2e children ages 5–18, in classes of 6–8 students, led by neurodivergent mentors. Young Scholars Academy currently serves 1,200+ families across 47+ states and 17 countries, with a 93% semester-over-semester re-enrollment rate. ESA funding is accepted in 10+ states.

Explore Fall Courses

You don't have to figure this out alone.

Right now, a kid who thinks like your kid is in a class they chose, with a mentor who was once just like them, surrounded by friends who don't think they're weird... they think they're interesting.

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COMMON QUESTIONS

Questions Parents Ask.

Everything you need to know about Young Scholars Academy.

What is Young Scholars Academy?

YSA is a WASC-accredited virtual village for gifted, twice-exceptional, and differently-wired students ages 5–25. We offer 200+ live online courses (from Minecraft Redstone Engineering to AP Psychology to Mock Trial) with a maximum of 6–8 students per course, taught by 20 hand-selected mentor teachers who are neurodivergent themselves. We serve 1,200+ families across 47+ states and 17 countries. This is not a marketplace. It's a school and a community.

How does it work?

During Fall and Spring semesters, courses meet once a week, live on Zoom, 50 minutes per session. During Summer, camps run Monday through Friday, one week at a time. When your child enrolls in 3 or more courses, they get free access to Homeroom Social Club — a weekly gathering with a consistent group of friends. Between courses, students hang out on our virtual campus where they walk as avatars, eat lunch together, and build real friendships with kids from around the world who finally get them.

Who is this for?

Gifted, twice-exceptional, and differently-wired students, including kids with ADHD, autism, giftedness, anxiety, dyslexia, and PDA. No diagnosis required. If your child is clever, quirky, and hasn't found their people yet, they belong here. About 65% of our families homeschool. The rest use us alongside traditional or charter schools.

Is this a low-demand environment?

Yes. Enrichment courses have no grades and no traditional homework. However, for-credit courses include assignments and letter grades. Cameras always optional. Challenge by choice. Students are never cold-called, never forced to participate, and never penalized for how they choose to engage. For students with PDA, demand avoidance, or anxiety, this is the difference between a program they resist and one they ask to log into.

How much does it cost?

Semester courses start at $624. Summer camps are $149–$169 per camp. Payment plans, sibling discounts, referral credits, and ESA/charter funding accepted. We're an approved vendor with 10+ state ESA programs.

Will my child actually make friends?

This is the part that surprises parents most. Your child joins a course about something they love and meets 6–8 kids who love it too. Same group all semester (or all week for camps). Parents tell us their children are more connected with this community than with anyone physically around them. 93% of families re-enroll because their kids won't let them stop.

What if it doesn't work?

100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Switch courses, receive a credit, or stop payments. No questions asked. We can offer this because we know what happens when these kids find their people.

What do parents get?

Virtual Coffee & Connect hours every couple of weeks. Regular Expert Talks with leaders like Seth Perler, Debbie Reber, and Dr. Temple Grandin. A Facebook group where families connect and support each other. Progress updates from mentors. And the ability to watch your child's courses anytime (just stay off camera). You're not just enrolling your child. You're joining a village.