A young boy who entered kindergarten during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced the majority his first year of school online.
When he physically entered a classroom for the first time to begin first grade, the child encountered some reading and behavioral difficulties.
The young boy, like some other children who were in elementary school during the pandemic, needed extra support to catch up and meet the reading and behavioral expectations of students his age.
Ewing-based LearnED Potential, an organization whose mission is to empower diverse communities through resources designed to maximize potential, started working with that young boy in March 2022.
That child is now “the most dedicated student,” said Gabriela Timothy, the founder and CEO of LearnED Potential.
Timothy and her partner, Joseph Deacon, the CFO of LearnED Potential, have also co-founded The Diverse Learner Foundation—a non-profit that aims to create a healthier, more educated and safer community.
Timothy and Deacon, both Ewing residents, serve as president and vice president of TDLF, respectively.
“It’s a gratifying feeling to give back,” said Deacon. “It’s really the joy of seeing someone do well.”
Both Timothy and Deacon were born outside of the United States, and moved to the east coast where they later met. Timothy lived in Dominica and moved to New York at 2 years old, and Deacon moved from Jamaica to Trenton at age 11.
Deacon said that when he moved to Trenton he thought he had moved to Princeton, because of how it compared to where he lived in Jamaica.
His experience in Trenton has allowed him to see the community’s potential, and guiding its youth is one way that Timothy and Deacon are helping it to reach it.
“There are certain circumstances that fall on others, that if they have the proper knowledge, we can bend them before they have to break,” Deacon said.
Intervening before it’s too late is the reason LearnED Potential and its programs target the youth.
Deacon’s mother intervened in his education when he was young by paying for him to receive tutoring..
“I would like to lend that same opportunity to others, to give them the ability to actually be exposed,” Deacon said. “If I can lend a hand to give that exposure, I have a strong confidence that even if I’m not there or we’re not there to hold their hand throughout their life, at least that exposure will be very impactful.”
Timothy’s background is in education. She has her master’s in both general and special education, and worked in Philadelphia as a special education teacher for years.
Her time as a special educator inspired her to launch LearnED as a way to address issues she observed while in the classroom.
Timothy said some students needed additional support outside of the classroom, so shje a place where those students could get what they needed.
“I was like, ‘there needs to be more done for the student and right now this regular school day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. was not enough,’” Timothy said.
LearnED Potential was founded in 2017, with a focus of providing learning specialist services to students with special needs.
It has since expanded, and now offers consultation services to school districts and leaders, as well as teacher apprenticeship and training programs for teachers, assistant teachers and tutors.
The Diverse Learner Foundation was created in 2019 as a non-profit program within LearnED Potential. Its focus is on supporting diverse communities by providing resources in education, technology, wellness and health.
LearnED is located in both Ewing Township and Philadelphia. Having the organizations in these locations is significant because of how diverse the areas are, Timothy said.
After living in New York, Timothy spent some of her childhood in Philadelphia. She then continued to live there as she studied to earn her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Temple University, and eventually taught special education in the city for a number of years.
Her her years living and engaging in the Philadelphia and Ewing communities, has allowed her to become familiar with the areas.
Deacon is well-acquainted with Trenton and Ewing, having lived in both of towns and through. He also currently works as a fire captain for City of Trenton Fire Department.
“[Timothy] and I are very much involved in the community in a variety of things,” said Deacon. “Being a civil servant, obviously, that also plays a major part in being able to give back to the community.”
The couple uses their knowledge and connections to identify areas of need and ways they can help address them, Deacon said.
Those who utilize LearnED Potential and The Diverse Learner Foundation have a variety of needs, including language, cultural and emotional support. Help can be provided through tutoring services, social-emotional learning and educational programs.
LearnED Potential uses an approach that has an “outlook towards a more whole student,” Deacon said.
This ensures that when a student or group seeks assistance, they receive educational, physical, emotional and any other necessary help. This is an alternative to just focusing on one of those aspects.
The young boy mentioned at the beginning of this story who was looking to improve in terms of reading and behavior, received support through a holistic approach. Tutoring, yoga and mindfulness practices through LearnED supported his reading and behavioral development, and led to his growth and success.
When a school decides to utilize LearnED Potential, the services begin with a consultation. The organization then reviews the practices of the school, creates reports about it and recommends ways the school can improve.
“I saw the need when it comes to school districts and leadership and understanding how to support students with special needs specifically,” said Timothy.
Working with schools and other organizations is helpful to LearnED Potential’s cause since resources can be shared through partnerships.
The Diverse Learner Foundation has existing partnerships with some education, government and non-profit agencies, but Timothy and Deacon are looking to partner with more organizations.
One such partnership is with Howard’s Healthy Choices—a non-profit based in Trenton. The goal of the partnership is to enrich social emotional learning programs by bringing in therapists, licensed specialist counselors and psychologists.
“In the Trenton area, [Howard’s Healthy Choices] have a lot of students and families that they’re looking to impact, so we’re looking to do the same in Ewing,” Timothy said.
The Diverse Learner Foundation engages in partnerships so it can better aid students in becoming active and informed global citizens, who have the skills to tackle modern challenges, Timothy said.
Along with creating more partnerships, Timothy and Deacon are looking to enhance their fundraising efforts.
Through growing LearnED Potential and its programs, Timothy and Deacon are continuing to do what they see as their parts in supporting the community. Since they both first began their careers as an educator and civil servant, the couple has exercised their passion for giving back to the community and contributing to positive change.
“We have endless goals to help as many students as we possibly can,” said Deacon. “Our overall goal is to really bridge the gap of education the best way we can.”
Ewing residents Joseph Deacon (left) and Gabriela Timothy who are both involved with LearnED Potential and The Diverse Learner Foundation.,
