The Birth of the Idea
Lionel Sosa, Co-Founder
In 2001, while a fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard University in Cambridge, I was asked to lead a one semester study to uncover the answer to this question:
“Why do some children from challenging backgrounds succeed at universities like Harvard while most of their siblings, friends, and relatives do not attend any higher learning institutions at all?”
Luckily, our research had the perfect laboratory right in front of us: 18 first-generation students from low-income families, succeeding at one of the world’s most demanding institutions while their families and friends continued to live in conditions that offered little hope for similar success.
By semester's end we had the answer:
In every case, someone intervened in the child's life, planting a transformative thought and thus, a new expectation: “You are going to college,” “You are going to be successful.” All the Harvard students credited either a teacher or a parent with setting that expectation—one that became real in their minds and in their lives.
The way to solve the problem became obvious:
- Make every parent and/or teacher that intervener—the one who changes expectations.
- Give them the tools to make intervening easy.
- Provide parents with easy-to-use tools to cultivate a Success Mindset™ in their children.
In designing the YOKC digital learning system, we took what we learned--packaged it, tested it, and refined it.
Of course, not every child will go to Harvard, nor is traditional college the path for every child. However, every child should be motivated to pursue a successful life. The YOKC digital learning system equips parents with the tools to foster a Success Mindset™ in their children.
The Journey
2001
The Harvard study was conducted - The idea began
2003
Designed the program
2007
Outreached to other Educators
2008
Restructure the program
2013
Designed business model
2014
Called on investors
2017
Launched program
2022
eLeaderTech, Inc. privatized YOKC