Today we welcome a new WSB sponsor: Kumon, the world’s largest after-school math and reading enrichment program, has opened a new center in West Seattle at 2350 California Ave. SW. Here’s what its local owner would like you to know about her business:

Kumon’s individualized approach helps children progress by ability rather than age or grade. More than 280,000 preschool- to high-school-aged children across the United States are developing their math and reading skills independently and gaining confidence through the Kumon Method of Learning. The Kumon Center of West Seattle joins the more than 1,500 U.S. instructors committed to helping children excel through the self-learning program.

“At Kumon, we believe children have unlimited potential to succeed,” said instructor-owner Avanti Prahlad. “My goal is to help each child develop a love for learning and the confidence to excel beyond the classroom, while developing foundational academic skills.”

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, American students were significantly outperformed by 29 nations in mathematics. America’s stagnant performance is rooted in a lack of advanced math or reading curriculum in classrooms, which impacts the country’s future growth. Avanti cares deeply about helping West Seattle students achieve academic success. Many Kumon students study advanced math, which includes materials two to three years above their grade level.

Avanti comes from a Kumon family. Avanti’s mother enrolled her in the Kumon Program to improve her math skills and self-confidence when she was in first grade. Her mother was so happy with the results that she decided to open a Kumon Center in New York and has successfully delivered the Kumon Program to students for close to 30 years. “I have seen the program’s impact both from personal experience and from working with many students at my mother’s center over the years. Aside from mastering fundamental skills in math and reading, I have seen children gain the most invaluable skill of self-learning – a primary skill I hope to help cultivate in children so that they can succeed in any challenge they take on in life,” says Avanti. She holds a Mathematics degree from Columbia University in New York and an MBA from INSEAD in France.

Kumon Center of West Seattle’s class hours are Tuesdays and Fridays from 2:30 to 7:00 p.m. Students study for approximately 30 minutes per subject and have daily assignments to complete at home. For more information, or to schedule a free placement test, please call 206-258-8313 or email avantiprahlad@ikumon.com.

About Kumon Math & Reading Centers:

Kumon is an after-school math and reading enrichment program that unlocks the potential of children, so they can achieve more on their own. As a comprehensive program, Kumon serves children in preschool through high school. Founded in Japan in 1958, the learning method uses an individualized approach that helps children develop a solid command of math and reading skills. Through daily practice and mastery of materials, students increase confidence, improve concentration, and develop better study skills. Kumon has over four million students enrolled in nearly 25,000 learning centers in 50 countries and regions.

We thank Kumon Math and Reading Center of West Seattle for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.