Dr Angela Isom never set out to start a school. “I opened a school by mistake,” reminisced Isom. “I just wanted to raise a child that loved learning. My son was struggling, then I started to homeschool him and he learned to love school. I had no idea it would turn into what it did.” Isom homeschooled her son from 4th grade to 12th grade and people saw the difference in him- a difference they wanted to see in their children, and themselves.

“I had to practically pull the flashlight out of his hand at night to get him to stop reading,” Dr Isom said. Her secret sauce: tailoring the curriculum to her student, and making each lesson into something he would personally enjoy. Isom incorporates this method of student-based learning into every class she teaches at the Henry Johnson Center- named for her great-grandfather who devoted his life to helping people who were struggling to make a living.

In his 8-bedroom home, Isom’s great grandfather would often have students and single parents staying rent-free for years at a time while they learned the skills they needed to support themselves. It was at her great-grandfather's house that Isom saw the need for a student-based learning center for adults. Isom was teaching at Tri-C and Tiffin University at the time but left her professor position to start programs and workshops at that house that would eventually become the Henry Johnson Center.

“It started with writing grants to help my great-grandfather with funds so he wouldn’t be using his retirement,” said Isom, who now teaches grant writing as part of her business college classes that help small business owners learn about funding their ventures. Henry Johnson Center also teaches Medical Billing and Coding, Phlebotomy and Chemical Dependency Counseling Assistant classes in which students are certified and ready to work in a variety of fields upon graduation.

She also mentors would-be small business owners who don’t quite know how to get started. “They come here with an idea, and they leave with a business,” says Isom.

The curriculum for each class is based on research and the needs of the community. Calling back to her experience tailoring lessons for her son, Isom treats each student as an individual and incorporates their physical, mental and emotional needs into their schooling- not just their academic needs. Each student is counseled and assisted holistically based on their personal needs. “Everyone struggles with something,” says Isom. “It could be poverty, hunger, being a single parent, academics- we’re not just a school- we care, and we want to help you succeed.”

Henry Johnson Center, located on the first floor of Shore Cultural Centre, is currently accepting students for a variety of certificate programs. Please visit henryjohnsoncenter.com to learn more.