Around the Grounds March 2025

Doug Barton
Apr 24
15 min read

Welcome, fellow Elevators, to our second Around the Grounds of 2025!

It has been a massive start to the year for our teams worldwide, and March has seen us build on the awesome work done in January & February. We’ve continued to make a huge impact running more workshops and coaching sessions to #helpthekids

Let’s look at some of the best highlights from the last month and celebrate the wins from March. Let’s dive in!

Team Australia

It’s been another great month of presenting and coaching across the board in March. We’ve had EOTDs featuring some phenomenal outfits, helped hundreds of schools, and made a massive difference to the study habits of thousands of students all over the country!

As a reminder, we are currently recruiting for a Business Development Manager to join our office team in Sydney. Check out the Jobs Page for more information, or click on this link!

Aus Presenter of the Month

Ethan

Ethan has had an awesome March, helping more than 1,100 students with a very impressive 9.21 teacher feedback average.

We asked Ethan which skills he's honed whilst presenting with Elevate that help him crush every workshop he walks into:

What do you enjoy most about presenting?

The responsibility that comes with it. From a school’s perspective, we've been chosen as "experts" — people who can walk into any classroom and engage a group of students. From a business standpoint, the BDMs, CSMs, and the wider team have trusted us to deliver a product they’ve worked hard to sign, re-sign, resource, and schedule. And from the kids’ perspective, we might be their only chance to gain skills that could genuinely impact their lives—or we might just be someone they decide isn’t worth listening to.

That kind of responsibility can feel intimidating. I'm literally just a 21-year-old with who has basically no experience. A single slip-up could lead a contact to think Elevate isn’t all it was made out to be — and I’d be responsible for that. If I fail to engage a class, some students might miss out on advice that could have helped them. But that’s exactly what I love about presenting. The weight of that responsibility pushes me to bring my best every time I step into a room. It reminds me how lucky I am to have this opportunity—to impact students all over QLD (and maybe even a little bit of northern NSW too!) 

What skills has presenting helped you to develop?

Presenting has helped me develop a range of public speaking skills. It took me a while to realise that public speaking isn’t just one skill—it’s a bunch of different ones, depending on the context. Someone might be great in one setting but struggle in another. Having the chance to present to so many different groups—small and large, students, parents, staff, in both city and rural areas—has taught me how to adapt. I’ve developed a range of presenting styles that now translate to situations outside of Elevate too, which has been super valuable. 

What have you learned from presenting across the past year?

You’re only as good as your last seminar—but that doesn’t define your next one. I don’t know if that’s the exact saying, but I’ve come to understand firsthand what’s meant when someone says something of that nature in any field. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of entitlement. After a few cracking seminars, it’s easy to think the next group will laugh at your jokes or will be engaged without you putting in the same effort. But reality is, no matter how good your last session was, you still have to earn the students’ respect. On the flip side, it’s just as easy to get discouraged after a tough seminar—or a string of them—and assume the next one will go the same way. But it doesn’t have to, because you’re the one who defines how your next sem will go! It’s certainly not an original lesson, but having heard it mentioned for years, it’s one that I’m glad I properly understand now.

Standout Presenter Feedback

Sanjay Padmanabhan

“Sanjay did an excellent job of the presentation, and the students related to him really well and said so in their evaluation”

Zac Broeren

“Zac the presenter was very good and engaged the students well”

Nelson Howard

“Nelson was fantastic, he really connected with the students (especially the Year 12 cohort) and they appreciated hearing from someone who wasn't a teacher about these important study skills”

Sophie Urquhart

“Sophie was engaging and professional as the presenter. We'd be very happy to have her back again”

Matraville Sports High School

“I wanted to express my appreciation for the flexibility and enthusiasm of the Elevate team that visited our school on Thursday. Manas, Nikhita, Maggie, Connie and Keisha demonstrated exceptional patience and adaptability, seamlessly adjusting to the changes made to the program on the day. Their enthusiasm and professionalism were truly commendable”

Redbank Plains State High School

“I thought it was a 10. Really enjoyed it and students were highly engaged with answering questions and also wrote more down than I’ve seen them do in classes for ages! A big success. Neeha was very engaging, she was funny and knew the program thoroughly. She remembered student names quickly and made sure to include everyone throughout the presentation. Some very useful tips were covered, with practical suggestions and examples the students can take away. I really enjoyed it myself!”

Aus Coach of the Month

Laura

Well done Laura! You are our Coach of the Month for March! We asked Laura about her experience working as a coach so far:

What do you enjoy most about coaching?

I love building genuine connections with students and seeing their growth through their own experiences and the feedback shared by their parents.

What skills has coaching helped you develop?

Coaching has improved my own study habits and strengthened my ability to tailor sessions to each student’s unique needs and goals.

What have you learned from coaching across the past year?

I’ve learned that even short-term support can have a lasting impact on a student’s school experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to make a difference.

Amazing work Laura! We’re looking forward to seeing plenty more fantastic feedback roll in.

Standout Coach Feedback

Adam Burridge

“Really, really good. He certainly enjoyed it, and I can see the skills already happening at the start of this year. Adam really connected with Cooper which we enjoyed. Teachers know that he is doing the 1 on 1 coaching and they've said they find that there's quite an improvement from having that support with goal-setting and knowing more of what to do to get to the end goal”

Chiara Stramandinoli

“Elsie said it was good, the 15 minute session I had with the coach was really good information. Positive start so far”

Dharshan Balachandran

“Thanks, Cale's sessions are going well and Dharshan has been very supportive of where Cale is up to/working through problems”

“I think that the first session with Dharshan went well. Fred and Dharshan seemed to get on well. We look forward to continuing the sessions after the school holidays”

Eva Hicks

“Worked really well for Scarlett. Really liked being able to adjust the program. Everything that was covered was really relevant”

Gigi Mansour

“Gabby seemed really happy with it, she really appreciates the value of it”

Harinee Balaji

“The first session with Harinee went well by all accounts. Mia seemed to gel with her, which is great. Mia has also been buoyed since the session and has been improving in her focus this week. Mia has also been using the timetable and tools suggested”

Hussein Jagot

“It's been great, Hussein has been really patient with Mitch”

Jess Kuo

“It was really good. She really liked Jess and loved working with her. Jess was very willing to work around our schedule and I really appreciate that. Seemed less stressed which is what I was worried about with getting her through year 12. She is managing it all and doing really well”

Riley O’Sullivan

“Archie’s first session with Riley went really well. He thinks Riley is lovely and also said he thinks the program is going to be useful. So very optimistic so far!”

Tash Lai

“Ella had positive feedback and seems to be taking on some of the suggestions. I can see she has been scheduling in google calendars since her last session with Tash. Thats a good sign. I'm also very pleased that there is some focus on wellbeing and self-care, Ella has a diagnosis of dyslexia so everything requires just that extra bit of effort, that can get exhausting, so I was very pleased to see that there is some wellbeing focus in the program”

Victoria Jagusch

“Evan is loving the program. He's taking on board everything Victoria is presenting. I'm finding he's more organised about study and overall more balanced”

Will Johnson

“It went well. My goal was for him to be more organised and less overwhelmed. [He seems] a lot more confident in getting himself organised. I was really happy with it. Will was really helpful and a great match for him”

Slack Channel Highlights

Team NSW

Some phenomenal snaps here from Team NSW, including the NSW Umbrella Academy, the St John Crew and two ships in the night at the airport from Ellyn and Emilie!

Team VIC

Great work here from Team VIC, including a trip to Malaysia with Oscar & Ethan, a bit of Karaoke, and a guest appearance from Coco (all dog pics are welcomed here at Notes from HQ!!)

Team QLD

For QLD, we have what looks like a ton more treebriefs (treebriefs also welcomed here at Notes from HQ), and the Lismore Crew!

Team WA

In WA, we have some awesome team shots, alongside Kerr at Karratha and a wonderful living art piece from Nandita.

Team SA

Just the one picture from team SA, but boy is it a good one - just check out those puppies (again, dog pictures always welcome here at Notes from HQ)

Team South Africa

We’ve had another great month in South Africa, with our Founder Douglas Barton in the country to spend time with the office team and to meet with some of our corporate partners. It’s always incredible hearing about the impact that we’re making through our CSI programmes, so a massive shoutout to all of our presenters, coaches, and tutors!

South African Presenter of the Month

Tumelo

A massive congratulations to Tumelo for getting SA Presenter of the Month again for March. Tumelo must be running out of space on her shelf! We asked Tumelo for some words of wisdom for how she keeps up such remarkable high standards:

"Every session is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a student's life. As the GM says, you are the brand— so always show up as the best version of yourself."

Great advice there from an outstanding presenter. Thanks for another awesome month of presenting!

A special shout out to Kabs and Bianca for a great month of presenting who were right up there pushing Tumelo all the way!

Standout Presenter Feedback

Bianca Harris

“Thank you, we had an excellent time. Please thank Bianca - she was lovely and the students enjoyed her presentations”

Candice Vorster

“Thank you for the excellent Exams Skills session that you presented to our Year 11 candidates this morning. The session was very effective and boosted our students’ confidence as it gave them tangible steps that they can take to improve their exams outcome. Our students appreciated the session and they all said that they have taken away some strategies that they will put into practice immediately”

Lucky Khanyile

“The Elevate presenter was fantastic. His energy and positive attitude were truly inspiring! I really enjoyed his session”

Onkarabile Marumo

“Onkarabile was very engaged with the learners. She came down to their level and kept it real. Her tips and tricks worked very well, and she managed to keep each learner captivated”

Apelele Ntlantsana

“Would like to thank you and your company for always taking the initiative to help the learners of Cookhouse Secondary School, thank you very much once again”

Curro Online School

“There was an overwhelming response of positivity from the students, they were glowing. We can tell Elevate is incredibly passionate about students! We have had an increased interest in the parent webinars and are happy a few of our parents reported back to us that they have registered and watched the sessions. Thank you for going above and beyond for us Elevate!”

Hillcrest High School

“Grade 10's enjoyed the workshop and all reported to their teachers that they found it helpful and had enjoyed themselves. The teachers that sat in also had positive comments and felt that it would help the learners”

The Sozo Foundation

“Thank you for sending an amazing team to come and share knowledge with our young people. All the sessions on that day went well and they interacted well with their facilitators”

South African Coach of the Month

Leshego

Congratulations to Leshego who is our Coach of the Month for March in South Africa! Leshego spoke to us about her experience with coaching so far.

What do you enjoy most about coaching?

Seeing students grow in confidence, both academically and personally. It’s so rewarding to watch them develop skills they can carry with them beyond school.

What skills has coaching helped you to develop?

Coaching has definitely helped me sharpen my communication and adaptability. Every student is different, so learning how to connect with them and adjust my approach has been a big part of my growth.

What have you learned from coaching across the past year?

I’ve learned just how powerful empathy and patience can be. Creating a space where students feel comfortable making mistakes and learning from them has shown me that growth is as much about mindset as it is about skill.

Great stuff Leshego, keep up the awesome work!

Standout Coaching Feedback

Divan Laing

“Gabi loved it. I've had a long chat with her where I focussed on her building her confidence to believe in her academic abilities - If she can realise that these tools can make it easier for her, we're on our way to success. Thanks, so much!”

Lara Visagie

“Yesterday we had a chat with Lethabo and Reabilwe and they mentioned that they enjoyed the session. It was great to hear such positive feedback from them and how committed they are to making this a success. Keep going and hopefully these will yield positive results for their future”

Lara-Lynn Blignaut

“It was a great experience, Lara-Lynn is excellent”

Tris du Toit

“Tris is a beautiful person, and I do believe that Emma and her clicked straight away”

Tumelo Thamaga

“Very happy with Tumelo and the programme”

Team Photos

From Team South Africa this month we have some amazing photos, including one of our Founder with the Elevate team, and a few of our teams in action out at our schools!

Team UK

We are heading towards some glorious summer vibes in the UK, and we’ve just wrapped up a busy delivery period for March. While it quietens down in the new term from April to June, we’re starting to have meetings with schools to book in their programmes for next academic year.

UK Presenter of the Month

Sunaan

Great work Sunaan on becoming our UK Presenter of the Month! We asked Sunaan a couple of questions about his presenting style and development - here's what he had to say:

What do you enjoy most about presenting?

I think the most enjoyable part of presenting is being able to win over a class that wasn’t expecting to have a good time. Shifting the narrative from “I’d rather be anywhere else” to “That was actually really fun” is a really rewarding experience and means the job never feels stale.

What skills has presenting helped you develop?

I think the beauty of Elevate is that you end up developing skills you never expected to. Alongside presenting and communication skills, I think developing client relationships by building a rapport with a specific school or teacher and establishing a bond with them, is an invaluable skill with infinite applications in all aspects of life.

What have you learnt from presenting across the past year?

One thing I have learnt from presenting has been how to adapt under pressure. Since starting parent seminars, I have had to master the art of delivering diplomatic answers to difficult questions from parents. It’s been a fun challenge, and those moments always feel like an adrenaline rush where my brain is in fight or flight mode but thankfully always chooses “negotiate politely and hope for the best”.

Standout Presenter Feedback

Talib Mirza

“Talib was absolutely brilliant!! 10/10!! He was great with the kids and great with the parents too!!”

Sunaan Malik

“Excellent presenter - Sunaan who was engaging for the students and delivered the workshops well so that they all got something out of them to take away. Thank you!”

Abbot's Hill School

“I just wanted to email and say a massive thank you for all the sessions this academic year. Yesterday in particular was such a success. Special mention to Duke & Joseph who were absolutely brilliant presenters. They were really engaging, both students and staff who sat in the session fed back their enjoyment and expressed how beneficial they found it. We look forward to having Elevate in again!”

The Excelsior Academy

“Feedback from form tutors suggest that delivery was engaging, content was relevant, and students focused throughout. Students reported learning new strategies to support their revision and motivation”

The Green School for Girls

“Positive interaction with students, upbeat and engaging, students responded well to tasks and session activities”

Furze Platt Senior School

“Excellent presenters, full of energy and drive, which led to very positive student feedback on the value of the sessions to their motivation and stress levels. It was reassuring to hear presenters talking the same language and offering the same strategies that we deliver...hopefully students take these on board even more!”

St Albans School

“Such a great group of speakers and the feedback from pupils was overwhelmingly positive”

St James's Church of England High School

“Workshop presenters were fantastic and full of energy. Students found team engaging. It is hard to tailor sessions perfectly for every student, but they all said they got something useful out of it”

UK Coach of the Month

Alfian

Congratulations to Alfie who is our Coach of the Month in the UK! We asked Alfian for his reflections on coaching:

What do you enjoy most about coaching?

Seeing students grow into the champions they always were. 

What skills has coaching helped you develop?

Confidence. Learning how we can make an impact in a student's academic journey is so fulfilling that it gives me great confidence in myself.

What have you learned from coaching across the past year?

Positivity is infectious in the best way possible. Taking every opportunity to be positive goes miles.

Alfie's Feedback

"Alfie's session was very helpful and I definitely needed it"

"He helped me go thorugh my revision and write everything down so I can now confidently revise"

"Beau enjoyed the first session and is keen to proceed which is so great to see"

 "It went so well, thank you so much for organising for Alfie to talk to me beforehand he was so receptive and understanding. I could hear Daniel laughing and I hadn't heard that for such a long time. He said to me afterwards word for word - "That was the best match I didn't actually know that people could understand how I feel about gaming as well!" He came out sat down and spoke to me for half an hour after that session I didn't even recognise him! It means everything that you set him up with Alfie"

Standout Coaching Feedback

Andy Bewley

“Seb so enjoyed his first session with Andy and we are really happy with the programme already thank you so much”

Anushka Rajani

“Thanks for checking in, Sofia found the session very helpful and even applied it to her school revision this week. She’s getting on very well with Anushka, so thank you so much!”

Eden Halperin

“The first session seems to have gone really well and Eden seemed really nice. Alex also seemed happy when he finished the meeting. It was good to hear that he had a bit of a plan of how to start his revision”

Jithin Surya

“Wanted to express my thanks for the support you have provided Will. Earlier today, Will mentioned that since working with you his grades have zoomed up (his words). There is a huge difference between the before and after, both academically but also socially as he has become more confident. It’s been a pleasure working with you”

Lorraine Jarvis

“Great first session Jahnavi has really enjoyed it”

Morgan Brame

“First session seemed to go very well.  James said he found it really useful and Morgan seemed really good”

Slack Channel Highlights

Some more great snaps from the UK team this week, including Tara and Mahmoud's first AYE & TM, and Steph and Charlotte watching Sabrina Carpenter!

Team US

It’s been another great month of presenting in the US. There have been some really exciting things happening all over the place across the start of the year. We’ve had presenters in all 5 boroughs, as well as New Jersey and Pennsylvania!

US Presenter of the Month

Amoria

Congratulations to Amoria who is our Presenter of the Month for March in the US! Amoria presented 20 sessions, helping 880 students with feedback of 97.41%. She also had a teacher feedback average of 9.45! We asked Amoria to share some insights into how she approaches presenting.

What do you enjoy most about presenting?

I enjoy coming up with new examples that help our students understand and engage with the material. My strongest presentations usually include improvisation that connects the material to pop culture. Ice Spice and Selena Gomez frequently cameo in my Memory Mnemonics visual journey.

What skills has presenting helped you to develop?

Presenting has helped me develop my crowd management skills. I feel accomplished when I am able to redirect the attention of the class when distractions occur. Each presentation grows my confidence in being a leader.

What have you learned from presenting across the past year?

This year I have learned that education is starting to include more technology. Most times students are surprised when I ask them to take out something to write with because chromebooks are used by default. This opens many other possibilities of study hacks that presenters (including me) will have to explore so our work at Elevate Education remains relevant and accessible.

Standout Presenter Feedback

Josiah Dunn

“The students had a great time. They were involved in the activities - Josiah did a fantastic job and all the presenters that joined him over the days were well equipped”

Paige Miller

“Paige did an amazing job and she was so patient and engaging with the student who had some learning difficulties”

Samuel Ellis

“Parents were highly engaged and it was a great workshop!”

Genesis Almonte

“Genesis was amazing as the facilitator of the first workshop.  Hope she returns for the other four!”

Hillary Brito

“Hillary is a fantastic presenter. She connects with the audience while delivering the material for the topic”

Maplewood Jr/Sr High School

“Both of the Elevate presenters this year have been phenomenal! I have been very impressed with not only the content delivered, but the pacing, communication, confidence, and social interactions of both presenters”

Q326 - Cambria Heights Academy

"The students found the "Ace Your Exams" workshops extremely helpful. The instructors were very engaging and well-received by the students and teachers."

K705- Brooklyn Arts and Science Elementary School

“The content, timing, and professionalism of the workshops have been excellent. Our students are engaged and participating”

Iroquois High School

“Really like the program. Teachers are saying the kids are really benefitting from it and I got to sit in on a couple of classes and the kids were engaged”