Good Neighbor Podcast: Frisco

EP #259: Beyond Traditional Learning: How Two Moms Created a Haven for Special Needs Students

• Sophia Yvette

Share episode

What makes Gina Korczak and Maygan O'Donnell with Uniquely You Learning Center good neighbors?

What happens when two mothers, both raising children on the autism spectrum, decide traditional education isn't working for their kids? Something extraordinary emerges. Meet Maygan O'Donnell and Gina Korczak, founders of Uniquely You Learning Center, who are revolutionizing special education with their holistic approach for elementary-age children with developmental challenges.

Their vision goes beyond academics. At Uniquely You, every day includes communication support, sensory enrichment, physical fitness, social-emotional learning, mindfulness, and music therapy. This comprehensive approach nurtures the whole child—academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally. As Maygan explains, "Our mission is to help children thrive by offering personalized instruction and support." They've created an environment where children aren't just accepted but celebrated for their uniqueness.

The center challenges a persistent myth about special needs education. Contrary to the belief that these children can't thrive in structured settings, Maygan and Gina witness extraordinary progress daily. Their dedication extends beyond classroom hours—they spend their free time finding creative ways to connect with each child's interests. When one student showed fascination with wheels, they tracked down a 500-pound wheel on Facebook Marketplace, creating an unexpected source of joy in their sensory gym. This dedication transforms their school into a family, a safe haven where children who may not be able to advocate for themselves are seen, supported, and understood. As they look to the future, they plan to grow alongside their students, developing a life skills lab to foster independence. To experience this special community firsthand, visit uniquelyulearningcenter.org or call 469-361-2120 to arrange a tour.

To learn more about Uniquely You Learning Center go to:

https://uniquelyyoulearningcenter.org/

Uniquely You Learning 

469-361-2120

Speaker 1:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

Speaker 2:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a private school for special needs students? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbors Megan O'Donnell and Gina Korsak, with Uniquely you Learning Center. Ladies, how are you today Doing well?

Speaker 3:

Good.

Speaker 2:

Well, it is a pleasure to have you on today and we're super excited to learn all about you and your business. Can you tell us a bit about your company?

Speaker 3:

Yes, yes, Uniquely you Learning Center is a private education center dedicated to empower elementary-age children with special needs and developmental delays. Our mission is to help children thrive by offering personalized instruction and support that focuses on academics, social, emotional and behavioral growth. It's more of a holistic approach the whole child. We provide inclusive environment that celebrates every child's uniqueness. As our students continue to grow, our vision is to grow along with them. Our long-term goal is to build a life skills lab where students can learn and experience essential skills to help them become as independent as possible.

Speaker 2:

So, ladies, how did you get started in this business? So?

Speaker 4:

ladies. How did you get started in this business? Well, actually, our journey really began as two moms volunteering together, so we were both raising children on the autism spectrum and we really experienced firsthand the need for something different. Megan has numerous years in business and then I have 22 plus years in education, and we really saw the gaps in a traditional education and wanted to create a space where children were not only accepted but celebrated. And so from that vision, uniquely you Learning Center was born. We also knew we really wanted to offer a holistic approach, so not just academics, but the whole child, as Megan said. So that's why we include our daily specials like communication and language support, sensory enrichment, physical fitness, social, emotional learning, mindfulness and music therapy, because these experiences really support growth in every area of life.

Speaker 2:

Because these experiences really support growth in every area of life. So, ladies, what is the biggest difference between a holistic approach and a more traditional approach?

Speaker 4:

So I would say really the focus on tapping into all parts of each of our students, so that we're not just focused merely on academics or some special needs schools just focused on therapeutic interventions. So we're really trying to tap into all of those areas.

Speaker 2:

And what is the biggest myth or misconception you typically come across in your industry?

Speaker 3:

Well, I think a common myth is that children with special needs they can't learn in a structured environment or that their growth is limited. At UILC we see the opposite of that every day in our kids. With the right environment and the support and the approach, these children are making incredible progress. Our focus is always to help our students build the confidence and develop the life skills that fill that part of the community caring, the caring community. So it's just that we really see that you can do the structured side with the support behind it.

Speaker 2:

Now, who are your target clients and, in terms of marketing, how do you typically attract them?

Speaker 4:

We would say our target families right now are those with elementary age, children who have special needs or benefit from a non-traditional learning approach. We, as we shared earlier, hope to expand. As our kids continue to get older, we want to grow with them, so we connect with families through community partnerships, word of mouth, referrals from therapists and educators. Just recently we were at the Awesome Moms resource event in Irving and we really like to connect with families and show who we are as people and that this isn't just a business for us. So we really like to share our success stories and invite parents to visit and experience our welcoming child centered environment.

Speaker 2:

Now, you ladies are clearly very hard workers. But outside of work, what do you like to do for fun together?

Speaker 3:

Well, I think what we consider fun is not the average fun, what people normally see as fun. Gina and I, we spend a lot of our time really planning on what we can do to for our kids at our school. Those are the kind of fun things that we do like there's many times this is really kind of crazy, but when we get a moment to go together we'll actually go shop and go out and find stuff that we can provide to like. Recently one of our students had a birthday and he loves like wheels like he's obsessed. So Gina and I like Gina actually found a big wheel on Facebook Marketplace and one afternoon Gina and I took our lunch and went out to find this big wheel and bring it back and make it part of our sensory gym for him. So now we have a ginormous big will in our gym for our students.

Speaker 3:

But that's what we consider. Fun is what we can think of outside of the box. That is the true interest to each individual child. We really try to bring something out special. So that's what we do for fun. We sit and brainstorm all these things.

Speaker 4:

I think them having fun brings joy to us so truly like seeing the smiles on their faces. And who would have thought a 500-pound wheel would bring so much joy? But it has like for all the kids, not just who loves wheels. So yeah, it's. It's a different kind of fun.

Speaker 3:

That's what we do for fun.

Speaker 2:

Wow. Well, it certainly sounds like you guys are more than just a private school. You're more of a family, then.

Speaker 3:

Absolutely, absolutely. And I think that that's really kind of what we pride ourself in is because we know having a child with special needs of any kind, but then when you throw in where a child is nonverbal and you are entrusting your child, who cannot advocate for themselves or speak for themselves, and you're pretty much they're spending the majority of their time with us, that you know we do have to develop that kind of unit, a family unit that you can trust, because you just wouldn't leave your child with just anybody.

Speaker 2:

Well, for sure, that is for sure. So, gina and Megan, what is one final thing you would love for our listeners today to remember about Uniquely you Learning Center?

Speaker 4:

We want people to know that, uniquely, you is more than just a school. It's really a safe haven. So every child who walks through our doors is seen, heard and supported. We really take pride in creating an environment where kids can be themselves, build relationships and really develop the skills they need to thrive, and we've seen that in our first almost full year of school. We've seen our kids really soar and that's just something that really can't be measured or no amount of money can ever give this sense of joy that we feel looking at our students and seeing their successes.

Speaker 2:

Yes, it is beautiful work that you ladies are doing. I must say one final thing. Where can our listeners go to learn more about Uniquely you Learning Center?

Speaker 3:

Well, there's a couple of different places. They can always go to our website, which is uniquelyulearningcenterorg. They can give us a call if they want to set up a time to come and actually tour our facility at 469-361-2120. We are on social media platforms Facebook and Instagram and they can email us or email us. Our email is also at uniquely you learning center at gmailcom. So we are happy to, you know, connect with them anyway if they just want to start by learning about us going through our website. If they want to call and actually visit us at our facility, we would love to set up a tour.

Speaker 2:

Well, gina and Megan, I truly appreciate you both being on this show today, and I wish you and your business the best moving forward.

Speaker 3:

Thank you so much for having us Thank you.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpfriscocom. That's gnpfriscocom, or call 469-221-9345.