School doesn’t always work for every learner. As a former Special Education teacher and dyslexia practitioner, I’ve seen what happens when bright students reach the end of high school and are still unable to read comfortably. When Andre and I opened Redwood Literacy in 2018, we wanted to bridge the gap between the science of reading and real classrooms for families who otherwise couldn’t access these interventions. We started as a small summer program serving about 40 students and have since grown into a multi‑entity organization that offers well‑paying jobs to literacy specialists and serves learners around the country. Along the way, we’ve helped teenagers facing the juvenile justice system catch up to grade level and have built partnerships that make life‑changing tutoring affordable for families.

With many of our former students moving on to college, jobs, and independent living, parents of teens and young adults have asked us for an intensive program that closes the last gaps before adulthood. Final Lap is our answer.

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What is Final Lap?

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Final Lap is a high‑dosage, full‑spectrum mentorship and tutoring program for young adults aged 14–24 who are nearing the end of formal schooling but are still not ready for college, work, or independent living. It pairs twice‑weekly, one‑on‑one tutoring sessions with wraparound coaching, family collaboration, and consistent mentorship. Each student receives:

• 2 hours/week of one‑on‑one tutoring tailored to their needs — including academic strategy sessions, executive functioning coaching, homework/project support, and targeted literacy or math intervention.
• Ongoing coaching between sessions, with texts, calls, and reminders that help students build independence and self‑advocacy.
• Monthly family check‑ins to keep everyone aligned and celebrate progress.
• Collaboration with therapists, teachers, and other supports to ensure a unified plan.

This isn’t just tutoring — it’s wraparound support from someone who truly gets your child.

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Why Andre and I built this program:

A bit about us:

Across nearly a decade in traditional education, we honed specialized literacy intervention skills to help students unlock the power of reading. When we transitioned to private practice, we discovered how few families could access evidence‑based interventions, so we founded Redwood Literacy in 2018 to make these services available to students with the lowest standardized‑test scores. Redwood isn’t just about education; it’s about creating lasting impact — we provide sustainable jobs for literacy specialists and have expanded to four different entities across the last 7 years.

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Meet Andre:

Andre came to education through the arts. A former high‑school English teacher and Teach For America alumnus, he holds a Master’s in Urban Education and is a certified dyslexia practitioner. As a lifelong learner with dyslexia himself, Andre brings empathy, creative problem‑solving, and a relentless belief in what students who’ve been failed by traditional systems can achieve. He’s helped build Redwood from a single Chicago classroom into a national virtual model.

Together, we designed Final Lap for families who feel they’ve tried everything. With only eight total spots (four with Andre and four with me), this highly selective program ensures each student gets our undivided attention.

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What parents say about Redwood:

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Parents consistently tell us that Redwood feels different. Here are a few highlights:

• “Redwood is an amazing school for my son. Finally, we have him in a place that understands his specific learning disability of dyslexia with appropriate instruction and knowledgeable teachers.”
• “Our son is behind in reading. He has received specialized intervention through his public school for two years, but made minimal progress… Redwood’s reading program is fantastic.”
• “My student received a scholarship for Redwood’s summer literacy camp and after‑school sessions. Attending a program with passionate instructors and individualized reading intervention changed everything.”
• “It feels like a weight has lifted off of me. Finally, an academic-oriented environment that my son actually enjoys going to. He is now independently doing his reading.”

These stories echo what we hear every day — with the right instruction and unwavering belief, students can make astonishing progress. In our pilot program for teens, students who attended twice weekly for a year averaged 1.91 grade levels of reading growth in just one year. In our small‑group virtual program, students gain an average of 1.8 grade levels in 10 months.

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Ready to join the Final Lap?

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Spots in Final Lap are extremely limited — we only have five openings left for the 25-26 School Year. 

If your teen or young adult is approaching the end of school and you’re running out of options, Final Lap can provide the evidence‑based strategies, mentorship, and community they need to thrive in college, work, and life. Reach out directly to me or Andre to learn more:

• Kait Feriante – kait@redwoodliteracy.com | 312‑813‑5141
• Andre Feriante – andre@redwoodliteracy.com | 509‑952‑3832

We can’t wait to help your student finish strong and step confidently into adulthood.

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