What started as an idea to create a life skills book for her own children has turned into an entire academy dedicated to providing life skills education for young people who are transitioning to adulthood. Athens State alumna and Certified Family Life Educator, Angelique H., recently founded Rising Adults Academy, an online learning center that provides life skills courses for emerging adults who are transitioning into adulthood.
“At Rising Adults Academy, we feel that the future of our society rests on the success of younger generations, therefore, we are dedicated to helping emerging adults acquire the tools necessary for a successful transition into adulthood, with confidence and competence,” said Angelique. “Our goal is to provide individuals with a well-stocked toolkit that they can use as they navigate through emerging adulthood. We offer affordable access to course videos that are animated, short, and self-paced. We also provide other resources such as an all-in-one planner and journal to help promote organization, a life skills workbook with real-world exercises, and more.”
Research suggests that having life skills contributes to adult success, and Angelique agrees as she has seen first-hand how the lack of life skills can be detrimental to someone’s development. She spent most of her emerging adulthood struggling as a single mother while learning the life skills that she needed to survive. She wanted to help other emerging adults, so she decided to create an academy where she could teach the most common life skills that all young people need to know before entering into adulthood. She wants young adults to not only survive, but thrive, saying, “You only have one life in this world, and you’ve got to at least enjoy it. Just surviving isn’t enough.”
The name for the academy holds a special place in Angelique’s heart. As a member of the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood (SSEA), she is heavily invested into this group of individuals. It was from her research that she learned about the different challenges that emerging adults were facing and how they need to be advocated for. “The name ‘Rising Adults Academy’ sounds empowering, and that’s how I think all young people should feel entering into adulthood. They should feel empowered because they are rising, and hopefully thriving.”
By offering life skills courses at an affordable price, Rising Adults Academy is able to provide all emerging adults, including those who are low-income, the opportunity to learn the key skills needed to be a successful adult. “The courses are just the beginning—I have bigger plans for this academy,” Angelique said. She plans to share more of her personal experiences of emerging adulthood and Rising Adults Academy in her upcoming book “The Rise: Emerging into Adulthood.”
“I’m so thankful to Athens State University for all of their previous and continuous support,” said Angelique. “Holding leadership positions at Athens State during my time there has really shaped me into the professional that I am today.”