Alumni Spotlight: Brandon Slade - Untapped
Meet , CU alumni and founder of Untapped Learning! uses research-backed methods to assist students who struggle with learning disabilities.
Brandon grew up in Boulder, Colorado. Upon high school graduation, he attended college in Ohio on a football scholarship. He later went on to complete his Master’s degree at Arizona State, then furthered his education at CU Denver where he graduated with an Eds Degree in School Psychology.
Brandon spent twelve years teaching special education in Boulder Valley. While teaching, he found his passion for supporting students who have executive function deficits. He watched students with ADHD and other learning disabilities struggle with organization and procrastination. Brandon began receiving special requests from parents to assist these students to develop better study habits. He worked with these students while playing catch or partaking in other athletic activities.
Over the years, this one-off teaching assistance developed into a more regular routine, and led to the beginning of Untapped!
91Ƭ Untapped
Untapped uses research-backed methods to assist students with learning disabilities to achieve their full academic potential. As Brandon continued to work with students, he rented a small warehouse in Broomfield. Brandon set up turf and sporting equipment to use while working with students. Over the years, this one-off assistance developed into a full-time job. Brandon quickly began taking on additional team members to help him keep up with demand. Now, Untapped has over 250 students at their Broomfield location and is working with students across the country to develop better study habits!
Untapped provides a variety of services to students ranging from 6th grade through college and takes on a different approach than other learning centers. First, Untapped connects students with a mentor. This mentor helps students create specialized, weekly plans to navigate the school year. After each scheduled weekly meeting, mentors regularly check in with their students. Students can check in virtually or visit an Untapped facility in-person in Broomfield or Centennial!
Both Untapped locations are equipped with individual classrooms, homework centers, and full-scale movement zones. Brandon realized the importance of movement, as it drives focus, memory, and brain function. So, he made sure that each Untapped location had space available to encourage movement among students.
Challenges Faced
Untapped grew exponentially and struggled to keep up with the rapid growth. Finding a large warehouse space that could accommodate students also proved to be challenging. However, Brandon quickly expanded his team and was able to find warehouses in Broomfield and Centennial.
Upcoming Events
Over the summer, Untapped has a variety of executive function-focused programs to teach students valuable skills for the school year. Untapped offers programs revolving around Math, Study Skills, Transition Years- for students moving from 5th to 6th grade or 8th to 9th, and College Preparation. Learn more about the available programs !
Advice for Current Students
Brandon provides the following advice for current students,
“Just hop right in! There are a lot of things that you won’t see coming, and you’ll have to figure it out along the way. So, the best thing you can do is to avoid over-planning”