Mission

Kelly and Melissa met in Seoul, South Korea where they both started off their career as teachers. Since then, they have experienced marriage, raising children, and several career shifts together. While discussing parenting and educational choices for their children, they acknowledged that they approach these choices differently due to their extensive careers in education, and wondered if they could share that knowledge with other parents. Young Scholars Guide was born from that shared motivation to help parents navigate the increasingly complicated journey of K-12 education.

While there are abundant resources out there for parents of babies, toddler, and college-bound young adults, resources for elementary and middle school students are not as extensive. Regardless of their individual journey and goals, we believe that all students can maximize their potential by aiming to become a scholar– a student with passion, and a student with the skills to explore meaningfully and grow exponentially. We hope that our resources help you bring out the scholar in your young child. 

The Traits We Champion

  • Curiosity
  • Detective Thinking
  • Compassion
  • Expanding Boundaries
  • Knowing Yourself
  • Leadership 
  • Initiative

Kelly Heo

Kelly has over fifteen years of experience in education as a teacher, college counselor, and founder of a boutique education consulting firm, LEP Education Group. She believes that while students are the leaders of their own educational journey, parents play a key role– not as a spectator or cheerleader, but as a role model and coach. Aside from consulting students, she is dedicated to sharing more information with parents so that they can make the most of the children’s formative years while minimizing stress and guilt. Kelly is also a mother of two, an amateur pickleball player, and a YA fantasy lover.

Mel Williams

Mel writes about parenting, education, and the quieter forces that shape how kids grow into themselves. Her work is grounded in 10+ years of listening to families and students as both an educator and college counselor, and in a belief that curiosity, space to explore, and good storytelling matter more than pressure or perfection. She is currently pursuing a PhD in English at Northeastern University, where she studies why we read what we read, and how those stories shape the paths we imagine for ourselves. A mother of two, she is also an avid traveler, a lover of cats, and a lifelong reader.