Challenger Spotlight: Randall Mullins, Down to Earth Academy

Down to Earth Academy is a mentoring center that provides private instructions and services to students K-12, as well as online college and graduate students. This is what separates Down to Earth Academy from other services in the area. There are currently no other tutoring opportunities for Washington County, Virginia like the ones offered at Down to Earth Academy. Many of the others do not accept some of the students that Down to Earth Academy serves. Down to Earth Academy tutors most subjects and prepare students for undergraduate and graduate level schools. According to owner/operator Randall Mullins, Down to Earth Academy “occasionally offers classes on wild plant and fungus identification, and the edible/folk medicine purposes for the common species in our region.” This is why Down to Earth Academy could also be seen as an outdoor recreation opportunity for students. “We teach classes that explain the natural resources of the region, hiking and plant/fungi of the region and their uses, horticulture, and farming,” said Randall. A much needed expansion would be to hire more tutors. An additional expansion goal would be to include 24/7 tutor availability for students during exam week. Randall hopes to use what he learned from the Cup challenge to create an organized business that will benefit the students in the Washington County area.