Mead Learning Options: With a teacher’s help, Kenzy Beerbohm found ways to learn so she could excel

Kenzy Beerbohm went from being a disheartened, frustrated student to teaching art lessons to K-2 students and becoming certified as a nursing assistant.

Jill Wright, North Star School teacher/mentor, met Beerbohm when she came to the Mead Learning Options program in 10th grade.

“She was so discouraged,” Wright said. “She said she was starting to shut down.”

School had never been enjoyable for Beerbohm.

“In elementary school, I got tested for dyslexia,” she said. “I was always just a little behind. It made me feel so awkward. Everyone else was able to enjoy learning, but I couldn’t because I struggled so much.”

At North Star, a home-school partnership, she collaborated on a more personalized curriculum that included extracurricular enrichment and leadership opportunities. This encompassed her role as a teacher’s assistant at Mead Outdoor School, where her sister attended.

“Kenzy gained a new appreciation for learning once she built strategies that supported her learning style and helped her advocate for herself,” Wright said. “She’s a really hard worker and really determined.”

Those strategies included using audiobooks and movies, using talk-to-text, and having more time to complete her work.

“We combined history and literature, so she read about women in history who struggled and overcame things,” Wright said. “She works at JCPenney, so for math, we focused on societal skills like using money and budgeting.”

That creativity made all the difference for the once-struggling teen.

“It was so warm and welcoming at North Star,” Beerbohm said. “Jill Wright switched it up and taught me in a way I understood, instead of the way society understands. It was more hands-on and one-on-one.”

She gained confidence engaging with staff and students at MOS and planning and teaching art lessons to K-2 students.

“I taught the kids watercolor,” she said. Wright said the younger students loved her.

All of these opportunities and growth led to her earning her Certified Nursing Assistant certification at NEWtech. The program provided her with practical experience, enabling her to identify and pursue her interests, which culminated in a senior research project focused on enhancing the understanding and prevention of addiction.

“I have family members in healthcare, and I look at it as an opportunity for growth,” Beerbohm said. “It opens your eyes to the importance of treating people with kindness.”

Wright is enthusiastic about the world of opportunities awaiting Beerbohm.

“She’s going to make a big difference,” Wright said. “She realized her work ethic is very good. Her efficiency will allow her to continue to pursue learning. She has confidence and excitement about what she can do in the world. She was able to ask for the help she needed.”

Beerbohm acknowledged that asking for assistance was initially difficult.

“At first I didn’t want to speak up,” she said. “But you don’t get better if you don’t use your voice. The best thing you can do is advocate for yourself.”