Feature Family

Meet the Bowles Family

Like a lot of families, the Bowles started educating at home during the pandemic. Emilee Bowles described their initial pandemic homeschooling experience as “inconsistent” and constantly changing. With Emilee, an English instructor, and her husband, Eli, a Professor of Renewable Energy at the College of Southern Idaho, they did not have the time or energy to manage it all. Thankfully, through the Twin Falls school district, Emilee saw another, more reliable option for her family–Twin Falls Virtual School House in partnership with Venture Upward.

Through Venture Upward, the Bowles kids, Ivy (8th grade), Noelle (5th grade), and James (3rd grade), have grown to love school! Emilee shared that each of her children receive the care and support of experienced, qualified, and wonderful teachers who give them individually what each child needs. This focused attention helps them work through their schoolwork much faster. Venture teachers have listened to what their family’s needs and desires are for their home education experience. Emilee expressed, “My children can deep-dive into what interests them, so they can actually learn a lot more and deeper about a subject.” Noelle insists, “It is much better. When we get our main school done, we can spend time on other things that we want to be doing.” And these kids have an abundance of other things that they love through Venture. 

Through Venture Rewards, James has been able to purchase Lego Spike, a STEAM learning tool, and he looks forward to Lego Robotics and Coding class with Venture School. Noelle is busy reading, writing and drawing her own comics, creating masterpieces, and taking Venture School Art classes. You can find Ivy taking dance and classes at Venture School Drama, where she will be choreographing parts of their new cabaret. Emilee herself has even gotten involved with Venture Upward as a Curriculum Assistant–a position that allows her to work from home and her family to continue doing all the things they delight in.

Whether it is doing an in-depth history study or going to a Venture PE class, the Bowles family knows that their Venture Upward teachers are always there for them, allowing them to feel heard and understood. Venture has adapted to their family’s needs, fostered a love of learning, and given them the consistency they were looking for.