In June of 2004, as we were finishing up our 6th homeschool year, it became apparent that while my children were incredibly "book smart", they had trouble with everyday problem-solving and reaching logical conclusions.  Dare I admit that they had little common sense?  We had also begun to lose our interest in learning and dreaded another day of reading history and solving math problems.  Boredom of drill, practice, and memorization had set in!

I had purchased a "Dr. Funster's Think-a-Minutes" and a "Math Ties" at a homeschool conference a couple of years back.  Delighted with the fun, brainteasing content, I brought them home and put them on a book shelf, vowing to reward my children with these fun activities whenever we had finished our "reading, writing, and 'rithmetic" for the day.

You guessed it - they sat on my shelf.

One day, after being reminded by my husband that my children were all but 'brain-dead', I received a Bright Minds catalog in the mail.  'Oh, I remember this stuff,' I thought, as I saw the familiar book covers on the catalog pages.  Then, I saw an opportunity to sell these wonderful materials as a Bright Minds Consultant.

When I received my display books in the mail, my children acted as if it were Christmas in July!  Here it was, the middle of summer, and they were BEGGING to do pages from these books.  I began reproducing the pages for them to use the night before, creating packets of 4-6 pages for them to complete each day.

One night, I was too tired to create their packets.  The next morning, my first image of the day was of 3 children surrounding my bed, shaking me awake, asking me where their packets were.  I admitted my negligence and from beyond the doorway came the voice of my, then 14 year old son, "If I bring you a coffee and turn on the copier will you make our packets?"

Was this a dream? No, this was real and my son met me at the buzzing copier with my coffee.

By popular demand, we began our new homeschool year in August, not September, and ONLY used Bright Minds materials until we took our Christmas break.  What a difference in all of our attitudes toward learning.  My children were thinking at deeper levels, analyzing and questioning content, and leading meaningful discussions.  I was becoming better at asking more thought-provoking questions which were received by thoughtful answers.

More importantly, we were laughing and having FUN learning!  The products are incredibly engaging, using humor in many of the lessons.

When we started the new semester after the first of the year, we went back to our usual curriculum, but never backed off on the critical thinking materials.  Information read was now being processed, picked apart, pieced together, and presented in new and innovative ways.  Even math!

We began to look forward to each school day, instead of dreading it.

During my career as a Bright Minds consultant, I developed the BRAIN-a-thon Fundraiser program.  I've always detested fundraisers that require students to take catalogs around and get orders.  The nature of these products is so educational, fun, and interactive, that the BRAIN-athon seemed perfectly logical.

When Bright Minds announced in November of 2007 and that would close their party plan division, I was devestated.  However, the offer to become a reseller became an answer to prayer.  I am much more committed to these materials and what they mean for children and educators than I have ever been to the party plan industry.  And here was my chance to truly OWN my own company!

After much deliberation, another logical progression was to use my own BRAIN-athon as the basis for my new company name.  And so was born the BRAIN-athon Emporium.

My dream is to develop and share imaginative ways to use these brain-building materials, and others, to empower children to see beyond what is offered to them via textbooks, become expert problem solvers, analytical listeners, and to "Let Their Brains Run Free!"

I hope you share this same vision for your children!

 

Cindy Powers °Ü°

Owner, BRAIN-athon Emporium