Sylvan Learning held their open house on Saturday, September 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The open house included hotdogs, a prize wheel, Q-99, and an inflatable bouncy gym for children.

The center moved to their new location on Brambleton Avenue in Roanoke County last April for more space. Sylvan was previously located on Stephenson Road near Ukkrops.

"The other location was much smaller," Human Resources Director for HoneyTree, Beth Mattox said. "This is much better visibility."

The location was chosen to provide more convenient access to Sylvan's supplemental educational services.

The new center features one large teaching area, a testing room that's also used for SAT classes, and several offices. The foyer is set up for parents to be ale to have a place to wait.

HoneyTree also offers Sylvan satellite offices at its locations on Jefferson Street (Riverwalk at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital) and Plantation Road (Hollins). These HoneyTree locations feature homework help from certified teachers.

"We are trying to build partners in education," Mattox said "We feel like we give them a good start. Linking the two together gives us a broader spectrum."

The Brambleton Avenue location is the second HoneyTree-owned Sylvan learning franchise, joining the one at 229 Central Avenue in Christiansburg.

Each teacher at Sylvan has a maximum of three students when they work with them and each student is assessed individually to find out what they need.

"We are real big on motivation, building confidence, and self esteem," Sylvan Director, Dick Hemberger said. "Our task is to get them to try."

When the students put forth the effort they receive tokens, Hemberger said. They can cash those tokens in for prizes or gift cards.

"Our teachers are required to give 20 to 25 praises each hour. We have no red pens in here," Hemberger said. "So its very positive."

Hemberger said this time of year is Sylvan's slowest time of year, because school has just begun and problems with education have not been identified at this point. Sylvan is currently serving about 45 students in their new location.

Sylvan offers programs such as reading, math classes, study skills, writing classes, SAT, and ACT College Prep classes.

The Sylvan Learning Center first opened its doors 26-years ago providing personalized academic instruction to students of all ages and skill levels. Sylvan was founded in 1979 by a former classroom teacher and public school department chairman. HoneyTree has nine centers in the Roanoke Valley providing child care and early learning services to over 1,200 children.

For more photos from the Sylvan open house check out our gallery here.

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