Sometimes retirement doesn’t quite mean the working days are really over.

That is happily the case for Glens Falls local Adam Root, who is closing the book on his years of service for the New York State Corrections System and is starting anew as owner of Etched in Valor.

Sort of.

You see, Root has been operating the shop while simultaneously working full time for the state for the last several years. This double duty routine stemmed from years of creating custom wood signs and his signature custom-turned pens in his off-hours under his prior home business, Root’s Wood Designs.

“When we heard this place was for sale, it just seemed like the right thing to do. At the time, I knew that retirement was approaching and even though I still had a few more years left, it seemed like it would be a missed opportunity to not jump on it,” said Root.

Located in Queensbury, NY, Etched in Valor is a custom awards and engraving shop. Previously known as Gifts & Engravings by George, Root and his wife, Kris, purchased Etched in Valor in 2019.

DISTINGUISHED FROM THE REST

Root, you see, is no stranger to the concept of dedication. Root’s full immersion into it began early on in his life when he joined the United States Marine Corps straight after graduating high school. After spending his early years on what he described as “the wrong side of the tracks,” Root wanted to be a part of something that would make better opportunities for himself and for others down the line. After serving with the USMC for four dedicated years, Root was honorably discharged for medical reasons.

The decision to join the military would pay off in the long run for Root as it has indeed led him to unique opportunities along the way. Most recently of note, is that due to his time in the service, Root was able to apply for Etched in Valor to become a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business.

This designation allows the company to pursue bids that are specially set aside for this community of business owners. For Etched in Valor, it has allowed them opportunities like partnering with New York State Schools to produce all of the plaques for Section 2 Sports in the state.

OFFERINGS AT ETCHED IN VALOR

Not only are you working with dedicated individuals at Etched in Valor, you are partnering with a company that focuses on the craftsmanship of the products that they produce.

When asked what sets them apart from the rest, Root explained, “Here at Etched in Valor, we do a lot more of the work in-house than other companies. For example, we have the equipment and expertise to do full colors on trophies and medals whereas a lot of the competition outsources projects like that.”

In addition to trophies and medals, Etched in Valor can also produce customized engraved products that include but are not limited to: drinkware, clocks, plaques, signature wedding favors and corporate awards.

I enjoy this. It’s not really a job to me, in a work effort sense. There are days that test you for sure, but we get through those.

– OWNER OF ETCHED IN VALOR, Adam Root

ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARD

As Root transitions into running the business as his sole working endeavor, he has a few goals for the years to come. “Ideally, a great starting place for us would be to expand our knowledge and skill sets in the areas of service that we already cover,” stated Root. Next stop on his journey would be to explore purchasing a facility of their own, instead of renting as they currently do.

Most important to note, however, is that at the end of the day Root just wants to ensure “we are giving our customers the best range of offerings that we possibly can at prices that they have come to count on.”

CONNECT WITH ETCHED IN VALOR

If you are interested in the services that Etched in Valor provides, you can explore their offerings on their website, EtchedinValor.com.

Nourishing children’s confidence through an immense educational ocean.

When Chris Leuzinger left Western Canada for Taiwan, he didn’t know his one-year contract to teach at a private school would turn into four of the best years of his life.

“I was having the time of my life, so why would I leave?” he said. “I figured out I loved teaching while I was doing it.”

Chris has been on a voyage of discovery ever since. A proponent of education in all forms, in 2014, he and his wife, Lauren, became co-pilots of Nourishing Minds Tutoring, a ship of scholars guided by a crew of professionally-trained educators— which has grown to as many as 21 during demand peaks— riding the waves of education.

In a Sea of Possibilities…

When Chris did leave the Far East, he took a fantastic four-month voyage through Africa, from Kenya to Johannesburg, South Africa. Following that journey, he spent a year in New Zealand earning his Graduate Degree in Primary Education.

After graduation, he would fly back across the globe yet again to begin a six-year “stay” in London from 2009 to 2014. While in London, he began teaching at a poorly-performing inner-city school in one of the worst areas of the city. When Chris arrived, his school ranked among the bottom 5% in the county; by the time he left, they had risen to among the top 10%.

“True magic can happen when you have higher expectations. Kids rise to the challenge.”

Chris Leuzinger, Founder of Nourishing Minds

During his six years in the United Kingdom, he would transition from teaching into administrative positions. Working as an educational consultant, he helped build teaching standards, curriculum, and professional development training for other schools. While some of these schools were also in England, others were as far off as Spain, Norway, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Chris would spend some time in each of these places as well, adding to his already impressive collection of stamps on his passport.

…A Compass Rose

Now in 2014 and back in the US, Chris and Lauren decided to make their home in Lauren’s native hometown of Saratoga Springs. The couple would then use their experience to navigate effectively through the challenge of starting Nourishing Minds Tutoring from scratch. They hit the streets and got the word out (through spots like Northshire Bookstore) then let their work speak for itself.

“That we’ve grown to this point almost 100 percent from word-of-mouth, tells me people are happy and satisfied with what we’re doing – We must be doing something right,” said Chris.

Now, Chris and Lauren (a Special Education teacher working on her second Master’s Degree) have three children; Taylor, 9, Brady, 6, and Layla, 4. They have also had the experience of nurturing a student who was struggling through 3rd grade all the way to earning an academic scholarship to a prestigious university.

“When you choose to invest in tutoring, you recognize that it is a long-term investment,” said Chris, adding, “But, I cannot guarantee grades. Learning doesn’t work that way.”

Taking the Helm

Making education come alive through engaging, real – world applications, kids are learning without realizing they’re learning – and without having to sit at a desk all the time, said Chris.

Nourishing Minds Tutoring utilizes both formative and summative assessments to gauge student learning. Using summative (or standardized) forms of testing when beginning to work with a student, they arrive at a launch point. Formative assessments monitor progress, further gauging learning through work samples, essays, and teacher evaluations over time.

Navigating Rough Waters

New and varied approaches to education like these are becoming popular because as technology helps inform our experience, research indicates traditional methods are failing children. Homeschooling is on the rise and the online tutoring services market is expected to reach $23.73 billion by 2030.¹

Whether students are failing to meet age-based expectations or are excelling beyond them, Nourishing Minds provides students with the individualized support and resources they need, while also contracting with school districts to help supplement home instruction.

Climbing the Rigging

Through creative, personalized approaches, Nourishing Minds tutors teach relevant standards- based curriculum in a way that students respond to.

Growing up petrified of math, Chris had the mentality that he just “wasn’t good at it” and “couldn’t do it.” Then, Chris learned math could be more than the flashcard memorization method he was taught as a child. Now, math is Chris’ favorite subject to teach.

“Common core was crucified in the media but I sing its praises,” he said. “When I was growing up, there was one way to do it, and that was it. Common core teaches kids a variety of ways a lot of parents and teachers never learned themselves and that helps so many kids.”

Full Speed Ahead

While the Capital District continues to experience a shortage in Occupational, Physical, Speech, Language, and Musical Therapists, Nourishing Minds Tutoring contracts to supplement education with school districts while also offering private and group tutoring, both in-home and online. They switched to an entirely virtual model during five months of the pandemic, but now exist as a hybrid.

“Homeschooling can be done in many, many ways, and you’re pretty free to do what you want. It’s a lot more doable and accessible than people think it is,” said Chris.

In New York State, homeschooling families are required to develop an Individual Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) adhering to the 100.10 Standards on Home Instruction.²

Socialization can be accomplished in a variety of ways today, too, Chris stresses. By participating in sports, extra-curriculars, volunteering, and getting a part-time job, children learn socialization skills while also building confidence – which is key.

“To me, success in one aspect of life translates to success in another,” said Chris.

Living by example, Chris volunteers 2,000 hours per year as the Assistant Chief of the Wilton Fire Department, and serves on the board of the Cantina Fun Run.

“There’s power in getting together as a community and helping.

Find a way to get involved, something you care about, and make the world a better place,” said Chris.

For more information, go to NourishingMindsTutoring.com

¹ https://finance.yahoo.com/news/online-tutoring-services-market-worth-100000126. html
² https://www.nysed.gov/curriculum-instruction/10010-home-instruction