I volunteered for CPE over 10 years ago. I was paired with a super sweet freshman. We met for the…read morefirst time at Barnes and Nobles with her mom and younger brother. We met at least once a month, I got to know her family, we participated in volunteer events and fun/educational activities together. Fast forward 15 years later, and we still keep in contact. She is now in her late-20s, pursuing art and a modeling career, and traveling the world. However, whenever I see her, she still gives me a huge hug like that shy freshman with pigtails I met at Barnes and Noble. Being a mentor with CPE was a very rewarding and eye-opening experience for me. Each mentor/mentee pair will have a different experience based on compatibility and how much effort each person puts into it. Fortunately, I got along really well with my mentee and her family. I gained a friend and learned a lot from the experience.

So few of us have extra money hanging around to help out people, but so few of us do not have extra…read moretime. Several years ago, I was itching to give some of my time to a worthy cause and volunteer for an organization that I could apply my skills and enjoy, as well as help out the cause. I came across Capital Partners for Education (CPE) and signed right up to be a mentor. The organization is incredibly professional and well-run with remarkable results. They focus on under-served children who would like to go to a private school and be on a fast-track to college enrollment. Their success rate is a phenomenal 99-100% of college enrollment and college retention rate. The program couples private high school scholarships with college prep courses and an adult mentor. This is where you come in. I've been a mentor to the same girl for three years now. What I loved about CPE was their honest efforts to pair me up with someone who they thought I would get along with (and vice-versa), and they were right on the money. It's an incredibly fulfilling experience to share your life with a teenager who comes from a completely different perspective than you do, and DC affords the best playground for this. Museums, free film festivals, cultural events galore, great restaurants... you will never be lacking things to do with your mentee and ways to help shape their own growing world-view! So get off your butt and give some time to someone who will appreciate it and learn from it - and you'll be surprised at how much you, too, will get out of it!

Lado International Institute relies on the reputation of its founder, Dr. Lado. Trouble is, he…read moredied long ago and they are still using the same 40 year old "Lado Method". The lies start with its name: It is not "international". They don't really teach the English language. Their technique is to practice in class. But you could do that on the street even better, as long as you were with someone to correct your mistakes. In fact, the instructors at LADO don't do that - they just mark you wrong on tests and never tell you why. They have no syllabus or course plan, just a series of "sessions" that you supposedly advance through. But every "session" is just like the one before it. The only difference between "session 1" and "session 12" is the experience of the students. When they show you costs, it is for one 4-week "session" and doesn't include the mandatory "text" - looseleaf copies of the materials they have used for decades. The actual cost is more than $1000 for each 4 weeks, and to that you must add living expenses. It will end up costing you more than a reputable college. https://lado.edu/english/ Lado does not require its instructors to have any professional degree or qualification. They are not salaried employees, but poorly paid hourly employees. https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/LADO-International-College-Reviews-E200798.htm I was *not* a student at LADO. I could not write this if I had been. Rather, I was in a position to observe their operation. They lease space in run-down office buildings to hold classes. They used to post pictures of their students in a park nearby. When a student told them he wanted to transfer to an ESL program in a real college, they retaliated by terminating his I-20 instead of transferrring it to the new school, and accused him of "cheating" because he brought home a completed and graded "test" for me to explain why he was marked wrong since the instructor did not. One star is too many!

I asked the professor if she could extend the time for me to complete the online homework assigns…read morebecause I really want to improve myself, no matter what if its graded or not! that's why each of us the students we pay for. That should be open the entire course. they ended up telling me that I cant keep working because the already submit the grades. they just care about your money!! the just want to follow rules whenever they feel like it. professors never show up! cancelling classes. bad experience in this institution.

Rita is wonderful - she went out of her way to make sure my daughter's story was developing. The…read moretenley town teachers are great!

I wish I could give this 100 stars. My daughter loved this camp. She went for just two weeks (we…read moreare only in DC a few weeks out of the year) but the effects of the camp lasted all year long. Jackie and her staff are amazing. Their supportive attitude makes writing fun and recreational for kids--not something that most kids get in school. I think every child deserves Writopia instruction--it's amazing! Thank you!!

Pros: Nice, clean, convenient facility off of Shady Grove Rd. with friendly staff! Unlike many…read moreother camp options, they serve hot lunches which is a huge plus especially for my picky kids. Bunch of interesting topics to choose from. Select the "Multi Theme" if it's your first time so kids can try a variety of activities. Musical Theater and STEM are popular camps. Cons: Customer service is slow. Don't expect email inquiries to get a response and the ones that gets a response takes days. We called to make a minor registration change; the rep couldn't help and told us to send an email. You guessed it, no response.

My son just started attending the new Mandarin immersion preschool program here. Lang Lang…read morecurriculum immediately helped him build on previous exposure to target language. Facility is beautiful, with natural materials that are well cared for. Teachers are also caring and well-qualified. Cathay Center offers after school and weekend chinese immersion programs for K-12 students as well, so there is learning continuity that I haven't found anywhere else. Cathay Center is dominated by Chinese culture, which I respect a lot, yet truly feels open to everyone. A unique, positive place for learning.

We LOVE this school for our child who is in 2nd grade. She has absolutely blossomed at the school…read morethanks to the wonderful teachers, small class sizes, and tons of attention to each child as an individual. My daughter is KNOW at FCS and that's given her an outsized sense of confidence. The school has systems in place to help each child be their best selves. Structure like having lower school classes in 1/2 and 3/4 classrooms gives the children a chance to take on leadership roles early. They rotate for phonics and math, giving them exposure to other teachers. Art, Science, PE, music and in aftercare instrument lessons, are all wonderful. My child needs extra help in phonics. We work closely with the lower school learning specialist, our homeroom teacher, the phonics support teacher, and our outside-of-the-school tutor. My daughter's teachers proactively coordinate on my daughter's behalf to help her. I'll often see e-mails between our tutor and the phonics learning specialist that I didn't ask for! They just care about my daughter and talk to each other to help her! There are some negative reviews on here. To those I'd say that no school is perfect for all children or all families. I would also say that the school is not set up to cater to kids with sever special education needs, or kids who are performing many grade levels above their age-group. The school focuses on the whole child and we've seen the positive impacts of that socially, emotionally, and academically for our child.

I wholeheartedly endorse the education and experience students receive at Friends Community School!…read moreOur daughter attends FCS and is in First Grade. We are very pleased with the education she is receiving as well as the support she receives from an emotional perspective. Even her spiritual desires are supported and we feel that is incredible. FCS is a school that feels like home and the staff do indeed feel like family. My husband and I are glad to drop her off for school each day knowing that we will come back to pick up a very happy and well-adjusted little girl. Attend an Open House and see for yourself!!

Communication, professionalism, and follow through is what they can improve on. I sent in an order…read morefor a pair of Jordan 6s for a full sole reglue and midsole repaint back in February 22nd, 2024 and as of January 16th, 2026 I haven't received my order. I understand that it's a small business and that a hiccup back in the summer of 2024 had delayed all retro orders, but what I don't like is that they gave several dates of delivery of my completed shoes, only for them to drop the ball each time. Their last response was through a DM from March of 2025. I've been trying to reach out to them since then, but still no response. I would either want my completed product that I paid over $150 for the service on or my money back plus the cost of my sneakers. They need to spend less time posting shorts everyday on Social Media and more time on their customer service follow ups and providing a service we spend so much money on. They over promise and under deliver. I am very close to filing a lawsuit as this is theft.

So I was in the area checking on our rental property. And on my sunday Funday I came across this…read moregem. As a entreprenur I love to see other independently owned minority business thrive. I met Nichole this amazing woman filled with great energy and charm. Sole Wash is this amazing sneaker cleaning and restoration paradise. As a sneaker head I wish I had a place like Sole Wash before tossing some of my sneakers in the garbage. We had an amazing informative conversation on everything from life to sneaker culture. If you are a sneaker lover visiting sole wash is an absolute must. This place is also a great place to add to your things to do list while visiting the DC area.

We discovered the ECC at Tikvat Israel in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic when we were…read moresearching for a new preschool for our then 4-year old. We have been so impressed with this preschool - I wish we had found it sooner! My daughter had been to two different preschools and neither seemed like an ideal fit for a different reasons. But we feel like we have found the perfect place for her. The teachers are kind and caring (and fun!), while providing a structured and safe environment for our daughter. My daughter has excelled at academic benchmarks- including forming and recognizing letters and understanding basic math. The school has impressive protocols for Covid-19 in place, keeping "bubbles" for the classrooms to minimize exposure and cleaning protocols. As parents joining during the Covid era, we actually haven't set foot in the school, but we feel so comfortable with our decision due to the accessibility of the teachers and the administrators. We have done virtual tours, participated in virtual classroom events, and have quick access to the teachers and administrator if we ever need it. It is a very welcoming school to all its families and students. We have felt the warmth of the community since our first inquiries into the program. It is a Jewish preschool and we love this element of the program - but I would encourage (and already have encouraged!) families of any faith to check out the school. You will certainly feel the same welcome we have. From a parent who has been through a few different preschool programs searching for the right place (in terms of program, location, and price), we are so glad we found the ECC and only wish we had found it sooner!

Oneness Family School provides a nurturing Montessori environment that fosters independence,…read morecuriosity, and academic growth. My children in the Moon Room and Arbor thrive with caring teachers who support their learning and development.

We love Oneness! We have been Oneness parents for 7 years now. Our son attended Oneness from 3rd…read moregrade to 8th grade, and our daughter joined since kindergarten (currently at 6th grade). For our kids, it has been a transformational experience. They grew academically as well as socially, developing cognitive and non-cognitive skills simultaneously. They learned math, sciences, foreign languages but also how to organize their days, how to advocate for themselves, how to speak in public and no less importantly, how to be courageous and conscientious citizens of the world. The teachers and whole staff are welcoming, friendly but also knowledgeable. Coming from a different country and culture, Oneness has been more than a good school, it is really a second home.