The mission of the Educational Empowerment Group is to promote knowledge, wisdom and understanding to all stakeholders that empowers success in our global society.
Vision
The vision of the Educational Empowerment Group is to elevate the experience for students and stakeholders by positively changing the landscape of charter school education.
A Message from the CEO
Happy September! As the energy of a brand-new school year fills our hallways, we must acknowledge the great opportunity that lies before us. August was about setting our foundation and opening our doors, but September is where transformation truly begins.
This year, our vision goes beyond returning to our normal routines. We are here to transcend last year’s achievements and redefine what is possible for our students. Every lesson plan created, every culture built and every moment of encouragement offered has the power to spark lifelong curiosity and turn potential into purpose.
As educational leaders, your passion sets the standard. When you lead with bold expectations and boundless enthusiasm, you inspire our students to dream bigger, achieve higher and believe in their own unlimited potential.
Let us dive into this year with focused momentum, elevating our learning environments into places of growth, joy and discovery. Here’s to a successful school year!
With deep gratitude and respect,
Wendy Rydarowicz
EEG Founder
A Bright Future Begins
Myrtle Beach, SC – A transformative new chapter unfolded in Myrtle Beach as our South Carolina schools triumphantly cut the ribbon on a bright future, filling the community with energy and hope. Honored leaders, including City of Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark Kruea and The Charter Institute at Erskine Superintendent of Schools Mike Sinclair, gathered alongside eager future students and families to celebrate the groundbreaking arrivals of Morning Star Academy and South Carolina Construction Academy.
These schools stand as beacons of opportunity designed to leave a lasting, positive mark on the community. Driven by a bold vision, EEG endeavors to not only educate, but to empower young minds and uplift lives for generations to come. “We are creating a place that will allow students to thrive,” shared Wendy Rydarowicz, capturing the inspirational spirit of a community coming together to champion its youth and redefine what is possible. There are great things on the horizon for these schools, and we are excited to witness it all. Check out the news story:
Main Preparatory and Ohio Construction Academies – A powerful testament to educational excellence is shining across Ohio, as Main Preparatory Academy and Ohio Construction Academy earn prestigious recognition in Educator Insider magazine.
Main Preparatory Academy, recently recognized as the Top K–8 Public Charter School, earned praise for its holistic approach to education and its commitment to developing forward-thinking leaders. At the same time, Ohio Construction Academy, previously named Top Community School in January 2026, was honored as the Top Tuition-Free Construction High School 2026 for successfully merging academic coursework with hands-on trade training that prepares students for career success.
This remarkable achievement reflects the passion, vision, and tireless dedication of both leadership teams. Explore the featured stories to discover how these schools are inspiring students to dream bigger and reach higher.
Cultivating STEAM Skills in the Ultimate Salad Showdown
Innovation Academy West – This summer, the grounds of Innovation Academy West (IAW) transformed into a vibrant classroom where eager K–8 scholars blossomed into master growers. Merging agriculture with STEAM education, the school’s newly minted horticulture initiative, the Green Engineering Institute, launched its inaugural Next Top Gardener challenge, a six-week journey of teamwork, scientific discovery and hands-on grit.
To kick off the program, young builders partnered with EEG facilities and academic teams to lay the foundation for their success. The students assembled raised garden beds from scratch and manually shoveled eight yards of rich soil. Divided into teams of four, the students took total ownership of their plots, crafting custom team names, logos and mottos to guide their shared vision toward the program’s culmination: the Ultimate Salad Showdown.
Before planting, the eager students dove into both botanical science and financial literacy. Students taste-tested 16 distinct vegetables, mastered plant anatomy and analyzed Ohio hardiness zones to design optimal crop lists. Operating on a strict $65 budget, each team calculated expenses from seed packet data to place orders. To support local biodiversity, students even used real power tools to construct intricate insect hotels, inviting natural pollinators to thrive alongside their crops.
Daily care, precision planting, fertilizing and meticulous pruning of tomato, cucumber, and pepper plants have now paid off. The young gardeners harvested their very first homegrown vegetables and presented their vibrant yields at the final competition. By blending math, construction, environmental science and horticulture, IAW has turned a simple garden plot into a powerful incubator for future leaders.
September Wellness
Welcome to our September edition! As we mark Cholesterol Awareness Month, remember that high cholesterol often shows no symptoms. Adults 20 and older should get checked every 4 to 6 years. Keep your numbers in check and protect your heart by exercising regularly, eating balanced meals, limiting alcohol and avoiding smoking.
Speaking of healthy eating, this month’s Live Well, Work Well issue highlights smart meal-prepping tips to save you time while boosting nutrition. Just be sure to practice safe food handling amid the ongoing cyclospora outbreak by thoroughly washing or cooking produce, or opting for thick-peeled fruits like bananas and avocados.
Finally, September is National Preparedness Month. Take a moment this month to build your emergency kit, review local disaster risks, and create a family communication plan so you’re ready for any situation. Click the tabs below to learn more.
Volume 47 | September 2026 EEG News & UpdatesMissionThe mission of the Educational Empowerment Group is to promote knowledge, wisdom and understanding to all stakeholders…
