I have been a high school science teacher for 18 years. One of the skills I have seen many students lacking is writing. For example, in a science report, I grade students on how well they can describe procedure, organize information, interpret and analyze data, and evaluate results. These are all skills that can be trained if students are given the appropriate writing methodology. After attending SWC's orientation, I was very impressed by Mr. You's structured curriculum which was designed to allow students to master specific skills and to apply these skills in their individual writing. My daughter has been enrolled in SWC for over a year. She has completed the first writing course on expository research and is attending the second writing course on creative writing. All writing lessons integrate the use of technology, which is also another essential skill that is required by most schools now. In order to help parents monitor their child's progress, a weekly progress report is provided after every lesson, and a final report card is also provided at the end of each course. I feel this is very helpful because it details specific information about the student's strengths and weaknesses based on the state standards. I am looking forward to having my daughter continue with SWC and I highly recommend them!! read more

Having worked at SWC and then transitioning into a high school setting has been an eye opening experience for me. What they offer here is a service. I'm currently grading a ton of essays for my history class that I teach and the vast majority of students are lacking academic writing skills. Moreover, the basic structure of an essay is absolutely lost on them. By teaching students how to write it teaches them how to think critically and to express their thoughts and opinions in a real concrete way. Too often am I looking at a paper and the viewpoint of my students are missing. When comparing the best papers I've graded so far to the quality of work turned that is created here wouldn't be fair. Even a poorly written paper by a grade school student here would earn them an A. When a student learns about the basic structure of an essay they no longer have to worry about it. The critical thinking elements, their thoughts and opinions are able to come out. Not only does this institution teach children about the structure of an essay they also dive deeper on how to introduce arguments and how to communicate, in an academic way, one's ideas. read more

SWC is such a great and fun environment for kids. I taught at SWC for a year, and rarely do you find an after school program that is both engaging and incredibly relevant. In my experience, students usually don't have the foundation to write clearly and with a thoughtful and supported argument, which are important skills for testing, classes that require essays, and college work. SWC provides resources and practice for students to both hone their skills and find the fun in writing. The program doesn't, however, overload the kids with work and information. Each class is tailored to teach or implement one aspect of the writing process, review new and unfamiliar material, and assign work that is both doable and challenging. Not only is the program great, but the people there are amazing. It's a fun and friendly environment. As a teacher, I've always found that kids who feel safe and supported usually learn the best. The classrooms are very small, so each student will have the attention they need. SWC is a community, not just an after school program. Students will come away with both better writing skills and great supportive friends. read more

As a former student of SWC, I can confidently acknowledge this academy as a catalyst to my writing success in middle school, high school, and preparation for college. In my youth years, I would struggle with literacy skills mainly because I lacked interest in the area. SWC Academy gave me a strong foundation in writing and I believe that it was vital to succeeding in my classes. This academy provides excellent writing coaches, a clean environment, small classroom sizes, and a learning community for support. Instead of writing essay after essay, SWC teaches specific strategies and skills to become advance writers. Since they break down the writing process in sequential order, I was able to master each skill in isolation and later apply it independently when taking my assessment. When it comes to writing anything, I now have the confidence to move forward without any hesitation. SWC Academy's coaches have gone far and beyond for myself and friends. Thank you for all your mentorship throughout the years! read more

Coach Mike has been an incredible mentor for my child throughout middle school and high school. He provided consistent, personalized guidance that made a lasting difference in my child's writing skills. Before working with Coach Mike, my child often struggled to organize thoughts and structure essays effectively. Through his patient teaching and detailed feedback, those challenges gradually turned into strengths. My child now writes with clarity, confidence, and creativity something I couldn't have imagined a few years ago. Coach Mike's approach goes beyond grammar and structure; he helps students express their ideas with purpose and voice. He genuinely cares about his students' growth and tailors his lessons to meet individual needs. Each session built stronger writing habits and a deeper understanding of effective communication. I'm amazed at how much progress my child has made under his guidance. I highly recommend Coach Mike to any parent looking for exceptional academic and writing support. read more

Writing well is not easy especially English is not our first language. As parents, we had difficult time teaching our son how to write because he wouldn't listen. He always said we are judging him too hard. We were so glad that our friend referred us to Mr. You 3 years ago. We have seen big improvements in our son's writing. His English teachers at school are amazed how well he writes. It's great to see how our son has confidence in writing now. His English grade has moved from a "B" to an "A" since & has been maintaining an "A". Most importantly, we don't have to argue with him anymore on his writing! Mr. You is a very experience & knowledgeable writing teacher. His professional skills make it easy for kids to understand & learn how to write well. We know Mr. You will continue preparing our son for Middle School, High School & college writing. We look forward sending our younger son to SWC when he is older. read more

Coach Mike and his team have made a tremendous impact on my child's academic growth and confidence. Their personalized approach to teaching has helped my child improve not only in writing, but also in critical thinking and organization. Coach Mike takes the time to understand each student's strengths and areas for improvement, which makes every session meaningful and effective. My child has become much more confident in structuring essays, developing research skills, and expressing ideas clearly. The progress in organization and writing fluency has been noticeable both in school assignments and long-term projects. What stands out most is Coach Mike's encouragement, patience, and ability to make learning enjoyable. The staff is professional, caring, and truly invested in each student's success. I highly recommend Coach Mike and his academy to any parent seeking exceptional academic support and guidance. read more

SWC is a great academy for teaching writing and other important skills. My daughter is in fourth grade and has been attending SWC for several months now. I have to say that I am impressed with all that it has to offer. I like that she works with a small group of students (no more than 6 to a class). This way, she gets more one on one time with the teacher than she does in her normal class at school. Lessons are technology based, which has also really helped my daughter- she's becoming more tech savvy than me! The teachers are very professional and take great care in connecting with their students. My daughter enjoys going to her classes at SWC. She just seems much more confident in her ability to write and work with others, skills that are encouraged through the well thought out lessons at SWC. She really has become a better student because of this institute. I would recommend this academy to anyone! read more

This is my first review on yelp ever!!! I am writing this review because my 2 children have taken their first writing class here and my children loved it!. I have called so many other places in the area and I found that SWC was very transparent in their fees and very fair. Like other parents, I want my kids to succeed in school. I am sure if you looked for cheaper alternatives then you will find it...you get what you paid for. I firmly believe that my children fully benefited from the program offered here and I will be enrolling my kids for additional courses. As a small business owner myself, I hate to see businesses getting attacked by people who use Yelp to rant about not getting things their way. Yes there is a wait list and if you actually had kids enrolled, you will understand why!!! read more

SWC staffs are dedicated and passionate teachers, who truly love teaching. They enjoy supporting their students to thrive in all disciplines of English Language Arts with emphasis in strategic writing. SWC's own independent curriculum is very strong and systematic. It is a curriculum carefully designed based on many years of teaching experience with technology components embedded targeting 21st century's required skills for students, to increase students' interest in writing while promoting their active participation and writing practices. For this reason, SWC's program is highly effective in supporting students at any level of writing as well as reluctant writers become successful in writing. That is why my two precious children are attending SWC. Thank you SWC! read more

I want to take a moment to give a shout out to Coach Mike who has been a tremendous blessing in guiding my friend's child's development in writing. He customizes all his instructions to match my friend's child's performance level, ensuring effective growth. Not only is he highly knowledgeable, but he also genuinely cares for the child's overall well-being. Coach Mike builds trust by asking thoughtful personal development questions and engaging in meaningful conversations. As a result, my friend's child has excelled in school and received numerous awards in writing, including honors and advanced placement recognition. His dedication and care have made a significant impact on the child's academic and personal success. read more

I had the pleasure of hosting my friend at our gym in Virginia, where he gave an incredible presentation to motivate our athletes. He shared his journey of building a successful writing academy and the powerful lessons he's learned along the way. His stories about working with children, his unique teaching methods, and his years of experience in education are nothing short of inspiring. The impact he's made on social media and in his field speaks volumes about his dedication and passion. Highly recommend his academy to anyone looking to grow! read more

This is a great learning environment for the kids that attend this after school program. The classes have 6:1 student to teacher ratio which makes it the teachers more accessible to the students. The teachers that work here are motivating to the students. The curriculum ties in real life events and technology to make learning fun for the kids. Each time a student walks through the door, they are excited to learn and polish their writing skills. read more

We truly appreciate Coach Mike's virtual writing lessons! My son really enjoyed his sessions and felt inspired to become a better writer after working with him. Even though we're based in east coast, Coach Mike was incredibly accommodating with the time difference and made it easy for us to schedule sessions in the Eastern time zone. His encouragement and guidance made a real difference. Highly recommended! read more

We sent our grandkids here after being referred my friends. They like it a lot. Teachers are nice and teach well. My grandkids talk about what they learned when they come home. I'm happy to see my grand kids coming home with a smile and teaching me how to use the computer after learning from swc. Thank you for you service and making our next generation prepared for their future. read more

Coach Mike is an extremely kind, loving, and intelligent coach one can ever find! He teaches patiently with planned strategy customized to the students' needs. We like how Coach Mike values the importance of grammar and vocabulary and incorporates in each writing lesson. Coach Mike makes each lesson so much fun and my child loves him! read more

I'm in college now, but SWC academy's techniques still help me throughout most of my college writing. The techniques I learned there made me efficient in speaking English and writing at a proficient level. U would recommend to any others struggling in k-12, because it sure helped me during those years! read more

This is an amazing place for your child to learn writing skills such as argumentative writing. My two daughters do not like to study, but they actually get excited to learn at SWC Academy. They have learned so much writing skills to get them ready for high school and collage. read more

Swc academy is a great place to help your writing skills. especially Mr. Wally he was my teacher and he is a laid back guy and pretty chill. I really recommend for you to come and if you get Mr. Wally tell him hi. Well anyways its a very good place and really enjoyable. read more