HI I'm April Stockley, for over 20 years, I taught English and history as a National Board Certified Teacher in North Louisiana, where I dedicated myself to helping high school students succeed. Early in my teaching career, I noticed a gap: our school lacked a focused ACT preparation program, and options for ACT tutoring in our area were almost non-existent. With just one book to start, I built an ACT course from the ground up, eventually reaching over 1,000 students. Soon, we were seeing score increases of three points or more, sometimes as high as 10 to 14 points—a testament to what guidance and strategy could achieve.

After retiring, my journey took an unexpected turn. My own children were approaching the age where they'd need ACT prep, and parents I knew started asking me to tutor their kids. I saw the need in my community firsthand: for many, the ACT score could be the key to state scholarships and the opportunity to become the first in their families to attend college. With my background, experience, and the support of my community, I couldn’t say no.

Starting my tutoring practice brought new challenges. Quality ACT prep materials were outdated, so I dove into test research, building a curriculum from scratch and studying each change in the test to ensure my students stayed ahead. I also realized that many students faced mindset barriers, feeling hopeless about increasing their scores. Using my background in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), I began helping students break through their own mental obstacles, instilling a belief in their potential even before our first session.

When I noticed students starting to achieve section score increases of 6-12 points, I knew this approach was making a difference. Watching students light up with each “aha” moment, understanding that mistakes are part of learning and that our sessions were a safe space to grow, brought the joy of teaching to life in a whole new way. Together, we celebrate every win, learning from missteps to build a pathway toward success. This "safe zone" philosophy, where “failing forward” is encouraged, transforms their outlook on learning—not just for the ACT, but in life.

Today, I continue to refine my program by diving deep into ACT trends, analyzing test data, and using the latest brain and cognitive research to teach strategies that extend far beyond test day. I embed executive functioning skills and emotional regulation into my sessions, equipping students with the tools they need to break down tasks, focus, and manage stress—skills that many carry forward into college and beyond.

For me, tutoring is about more than just improving scores; it's about giving students the confidence and skills they need to succeed in whatever they pursue. And every time a student reaches out to tell me they’re using these techniques in college, I’m reminded of the true impact of this journey.