Pamela Clark, Founder/Executive Director at New Heights Educational Group

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business?

Pamela Clark: Originally, I was a home school mom and other moms would come to me for advice. Then after homeschooling for about four years, I learned about charter schools. I became a parent leader for a charter school for some time. During that time, I helped many families from all school backgrounds. I advocated for families to receive a fair education. Once I discovered that families needed to cooperate, especially in educating children with learning difficulties such as ADHD, bipolar disorder, autism, and neurological disorders. When I left the charter school I had a meeting with a few moms I had served. One of the first things I told them was that I wanted to create a group that helps all families. I had served so many families from multiple school backgrounds at this time, I didn't understand the strict lines drawn by those in the education system. Everyone pays taxes whether they have children in public school, yet there was minimal, or no support offered to the homeschoolers asking for access to the art, music, and other programs. Charter school students receive help only from the charter they belong too, and traditional schools only care about the students in their classrooms. I didn't want to combine them into one school but truly believe that everyone willing to work for it deserves a fair and equal education. NHEG wants families to reach their dreams and goals. When a family and student reach their full potential, we all benefit as a society.

Great Companies: What are the various services provided by New Heights Educational Group?

Pamela Clark: New Heights Educational Group is the first one-stop-shop in education.

NHEG has served over 550,000 students via online services and courses via its site and affiliate and partner sites. I lead a team of 73 volunteers who research advancements, provide training to teachers and tutors, create courses and tutor students. The organization has many internal departments including education, research, graphics, photography, HR, social media and marketing, proofreading/editing, authors/writers/script writers, comic book, production management for magazine, content builders, internet radio show/podcast, accounting and more.

NHEG provides fill-in-the-gap tutoring to reach students who have been left behind by traditional schools. It offers classes, an educational magazine called the NHEG EDGuide and the E.A.S.YToons comic books that has over 100,540 Views.

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The organization has published two books: Unraveling Reading and Unraveling Science. Both books are part of the Unraveling series, which provides strategies to parents, teachers and tutors to help them support children’s learning processes. The series will include a book for each subject. One Nonprofit’s Journey to Success, written by an NHEG volunteer, was released worldwide in March 2015 and tells the organization’s story. NHEG’s internet radio show, New Heights Show on Education, has had over 357,841 listens and is on 29 networks and became a syndicated show in 2019.

NHEG and its partners/affiliates offer over 1,200 low-cost and high-quality courses on its website, and it makes national and international leadership opportunities available to its students.

In 2020, NHEG grew its reach by over 90,000 people. In 2021, through new partnerships with Stack Social, Skillwise, National CSI Camp, Citizen Goods and The Hip Hop Healthy Heart Program for Children and Natural Born Leaders, it has more than tripled its previous course offerings with the over 1,280 free and discounted unique courses mentioned above and another 284 classroom resources for all subject matters. The in-person reading program switched to an online reading program with the help of one of NHEG’s partners (The 2nd & 7 Foundation), and it went from a 2-tier to a 5-tier reading program within the last year.

Great Companies: What makes New Heights Educational Group different from hundreds of other similar service providers?

Pamela Clark: NHEG is the only organization that offers a range of educational services and resources under one business. We excel at it; we are the best in the world at it. This is proven by the many awards and recognition the organization has won since its creation and the many families that have benefited from this dream.

Great Companies: What are the struggles and challenges you face?

Pamela Clark: Every step of the way there has been struggles and challenges. It is a struggle to reach those in the educational system that see us as a threat instead of what the organization can do for the community. Many in power have biased thinking and keep us a secret from the families in need of our services. Instead, they send families to for-profit businesses that they can't afford and, in turn, cause more difficulties for these very families; it's a vicious cycle.

Funding is our biggest roadblock; everything NHEG has built, all the work it has done is yet to be fully funded. It would cost $457,567.00 to fund the first year of the organization’s entire dream. That amount is less than is spent on two school drop-outs over a lifetime of receiving public assistance, and yet NHEG struggles to receive funding. It is very frustrating.

Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What do 5 years down the line look like for New Heights Educational Group?

Pamela Clark: NHEG envisions building a computer lab and learning center

Purpose: The lab and learning center will provide a space for academic research, academic studies, school assignments, educational planning, testing and tutoring services and other educational options. The lab can be used by families with students enrolled in any type of school or afterschool programs, for homeschool resources and as a teaching space for themed co-op/enrichment classes. The facilities will enable NHEG to teach, assist and provide technology resources to families for self-learning.

Genealogy program - NHEG is looking to create a genealogy program with the goal of building students’ self-esteem and further connecting them to their community and country.

NHEG GED Program / Testing Site and implementing a sensory room for those with disabilities and creating a daycare for young mothers and fathers.

Creation of a sensory room in the hopes of reaching students with disabilities/special needs. This is very important for those with special needs and can open a new world for these students and their families.

Support for Teenage Parents

NHEG works with many teen parents that are struggling with the traditional education settings. Those that have children while still in high school or college, can still have a successful life if they have access to a support system. They are encouraged and treated with fairness and respect. NHEG recognizes the value of self-esteem and works towards building theirs by listening to their dreams and helping them achieve them. The organization provides a support system with affordable child-care, fun activities and learning opportunities, promotes student leadership, and teaches them to value themselves, so they can continue their educational endeavors. NHEG excels at providing this support that helps them reach their goals and this must be done if we want to effect change in society.

Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Pamela Clark: Don't just start a business, start a passion. If starting a charity, find someone in your community doing something similar and volunteer for a while. Never think of any job as beneath you; do everything and learn everything, so you can mentor others.