Admissions representatives (ARs) do so much for their schools, and their efforts don’t stop over the summer. They represent their schools in the community and actively recruit and onboard all new families needed for enrollment. Their main responsibilities include sourcing and attending community events to engage with potential families, and hosting/marketing onsite school events and tours in order to help new families assimilate into the school.
Though Heather Champion, AR at Bennett Venture Academy and Winterfield Venture Academy, has only been with National Heritage Academies (NHA) since July of 2019, she is making a big impact on her school communities.
“Heather is a newer AR, but she’s dynamic,” said Tomica Livingston, Admissions manager. “She has a good emotional IQ, and she is super supportive. She overcomes obstacles and is a great resource for our parents.”
Heather worked for a nonprofit before coming to NHA, which allowed her to come into her new role with knowledge of local resources. She wanted to work for a company who appreciates their employees, and she believes she’s found that here.
Though it has been a difficult time, she believes in the importance of staying connected with the community during the pandemic. In fact, Champion’s favorite part about her job is interacting with the community and her school families. She’s a people person who loves working with her families, and she believes that NHA schools are a good resource she can share with people.
“It’s huge that I’ve been able to maintain contact with our families and offer assistance when needed,” said Champion. “It helped them know that they are not alone in this. NHA pushed through the pandemic this far and maintained contact with families and continued connecting with new families while staying safe. The company supported every role.”
During the pandemic, she has been able to foster new relationships in the community by working with pandemic childcare centers. She had groceries delivered so the children could have lunch, and even provided lunch to the staff, thanking them for their service. She also supplied activities for the kids, hand sanitizer, and hand soap.
Champion enjoys working with childcare centers in the community and reflects that they are grateful for the assistance. “To know that our kids are being taken care of and our parents are receiving help during these difficult times is what makes it worth it,” she said.
She has also been working with libraries and churches, as well as at-home childcare facilities. She reached out to them to spread the word about her schools and build a trusting relationship so they can participate in events together. She is even hoping to work with one of her community partners to set up a uniform drive for her families in the future.
Keep up the amazing work in your school communities, Heather!
Bennett Venture Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school located in Toledo, Ohio serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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