Today we’d like to introduce you to Becky Sexton.
Hi Becky, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I began Shine Academy shortly after Covid. The country and our area was so divided. My children were lonely and I knew others had to be as well. I looked into homeschool co-ops in our area and it became quickly apparent that they were all created to cater to a certain group of like-minded people. With homeschooling on the rise, I was concerned with how many homeschoolers would grow up knowing only how to work with those similar to them. Our area needed something different. Shine Academy started in 2022. It was the areas first inclusive co-op. I looked at all the reasons parents would choose not to utilize co-ops and I tried to fix them. We started as a free co-op, open to people of all faiths and walks of life, offered skill based and extracurricular classes, and with a focus on building a community that is diverse. I posted the idea on facebook and within an hour, Shine Academy was full. Since then we have grown to three locations, serving 300 children. I would love to eventually see the Shine concept spread all over TN. I hope that in providing Shine, we are providing a chance for the next generation to grow up knowing how to work together.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road. We are rewriting what a homeschool co-op is. When I started Shine, I had no knowledge of homeschool co-ops, I just knew there had to be a way to bring people together. Shine does not have the same guidelines others do. We do this to try to reach more children. Where others enforce volunteering, we do not, because that leaves out the working parents. Where others enforce mandatory attendance, we do not, because that can alienate children with special needs or families going through struggles. In everything we do, we look at the obstacles for families and we try to combat them. This does leave challenges though. You have to have volunteers, you have to have money, so we have to get creative to meet the co-op’s needs while still remaining a place for all.
Another challenge we have faced is the idea of full inclusivity. Working with different groups of people and constantly trying to find that middle ground can be hard work, but the outcome can be so beautiful.
As you know, we’re big fans of Shine Academy. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Shine Academy is a homeschool co-op with 3 locations in the Tri-Cities. Shine is low-cost and inclusive. We work to get rid of the obstacles that homeschool families might face when providing their children socialization. Everything we do is done with intent to make Shine accessible to all. We have grown from 1 location to 3 in the 3 years since we began. Our main goal is to bring people together and teach the next generation how to work with those of different beliefs.
I am most proud of the community that Shine has created. Students and parents that would never gravitate towards each other, have become friends. When we have a family in need, the rest stand up. When a family is missing, others are checking. Our community is kind. We are building the village that many families need.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My advice is to grow some thick skin. There will be people that do not understand your why. There may also be people that take advantage of you. Just let them. The people that get it, they will more than make up for it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shineacademycooperative.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shineacademycoop
