Innovative Education Innovates the World: Acewall Scholars’ New Ways of Learning Shape the Next Generation of Leaders

Published 1:54 p.m. ET Jan. 9, 2025

Education is the backbone of society, shaping the mindsets of future leaders, influencers, scientists, artists, and entrepreneurs through a blend of skills and knowledge. While the curriculum mainly focuses on core subjects like history, math, science, and language arts, education also plays a crucial role in developing youth’s emotional awareness, problem-solving skills, effective communication abilities, and many others. While some may thrive amidst the rigid structure of conventional schooling, many feel overlooked by a system that assumes all children learn the same. 

In 2006, marked by the establishment of Acewall Scholars, Keisha Wallace started her pursuit of bridging education gaps. Initially formed as a home and online tutoring nonprofit, the organization restructured as a for-profit educational and mentoring center in 2015, employing a more comprehensive approach driving long-lasting change across the nation. With an all-encompassing suite of services, Acewall Scholars collaborates closely with teachers and students, working relentlessly to enhance conventional education with strategies and methods that provide all kids with a fighting chance at success. 

With a holistic philosophy combining the mind, body, and spirit, Acewall Scholars enriches students’ academic journeys by veering away from the standard, one-size-fits-all approach. While all can benefit from environments that promote individuality and unconfined self-expression, the organization focuses on communities underrepresented in mainstream discourse. For instance, neurodivergent students may struggle to focus and absorb information effectively, leading to frustration, which further fuels the problem.

These challenges can lead to lower grades and failed tests, resulting in labels detrimental to kids’ self-esteem—lazy, unmotivated, mindless, and the list goes on. Being forced into these boxes has long-term consequences, significantly impacting individuals’ ability to thrive socially, not only at school but also in adult life. Without adequate support and systems that recognize the kaleidoscope of unique yet equally valid ways of learning, students risk social exclusion, low self-esteem, and difficulty understanding how to follow instructions, work in a team, or solve problems. 

“If we continue conveying knowledge in a way that doesn’t work for many students, innovation will keep slipping out of our hands,” stresses Keisha. “Acewall Scholars takes every kid’s needs into consideration, understanding that all of them are valid.” 

For Keisha, Acewall Scholars is a culmination of her life experiences, a place where she taps into her professional engineering experience and her profound passion for education to drive real change. After leaving her engineering career, the opportunity to establish Acewall Scholars serendipitously emerged, and Keisha took it without much hesitation. “I just saw that things could be done differently,” she adds. 

At Acewall Scholars, there is no place for the status quo – not even in areas that are innovative at their core, like STEM. A term initially coined to comprise science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, STEM’s impact goes beyond knowledge, fostering innate curiosity, improving collaboration, honing problem-solving skills, and preparing children for future challenges. 

Acewall Scholars enriches this powerful tool even further, elevating it with creativity and writing—arts that spark self-expression and help with clear communication. Recognizing the need for STEM, Acewall Scholar built a program targeting disadvantaged communities, low-income families, and racial and gender minorities, ensuring everyone has the tools to progress into a satisfactory career. 

Designed to empower youth and build confident, self-sufficient, successful leaders of tomorrow, Acewall Scholars is devoid of boxes and labels. “Categorizing kids can make them feel inferior. It doesn’t matter if it’s about neurodiversity or disability, every child deserves that same level of care and respect,” adds Keisha. “Some of them simply require innovative ways of learning, and, as educators, it’s our job to provide that.” 

Keisha highlights that, conventionally, the first step to alleviating learning challenges is medication. “Medication on its own isn’t a problem,” she adds. “It’s the fact that people resort to it without even exploring other options, making kids feel different than their peers.” Throughout 18 years of Acewall Scholars, she witnessed immense inner transformations, students regaining their sense of confidence and independence, and, consequently, grades going up. “The best part is, it all started from small adjustments—introducing more play time, creating spaces where students can rest, or implementing new ways of stimulating the brain,” she further states. “A five-year-old sometimes needs to sleep more, so does a teenager going through puberty, and recognizing these basic physiological needs is the least we can do before moving onto medication.” 

Acewall Scholars bridges these gaps through its comprehensive suite of services, from teacher placements to tutoring, mentoring, and summer programs. With a permanent staff of ten and tens of seasonal workers, the organization’s offering addresses the needs of private and public schools, as well as homeschooled students. In the classroom, Acewall Scholars’ tutors promote a culture of inclusion, simultaneously teaching kids who excel in regular brick-and-mortar settings and those who find it more challenging. “The key is finding a system that works for everyone,” adds Keisha. Moreover, here, the role of tutoring extends past information sharing. “We believe that every teacher should also be a mentor,” she says. “Education is not only about knowledge but also about critical thinking skills and shaping the mindsets of future leaders.” 

Looking ahead, Acewall Scholars hopes to continue innovating schooling systems to spark real change in the world. Currently developing its proprietary learning management system, the organization strives to simplify the learning process for students who require new ways of teaching. Through leveraging technology, the system will become an invaluable resource for families struggling to keep their homeschooled children engaged, as well as educators looking to elevate their methods and shift them toward inclusivity. 

“Everything we do is to inspire students to dream without limits by providing everyone with the level of education that allows them to learn effectively. Often, we reach for what we feel we can attain. At Acewall Scholars, we empower children to reach for what they want,” reflects Keisha. “We foster teaching environments that are engaging, inclusive, and understanding of everyone’s unique needs. Our mission? To transform classrooms into a place where the vision is realized, and the dream is achieved.” 

**This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider.