Universal Academy in Dallas gains access to cognitive training tools through partnership

February 9, 2017 — DALLAS (February 7, 2017) — Faced with persisting achievement gaps, education leaders are searching for resources to help students meet their full learning potential. One solution that has yielded positive results for schools is cognitive training tools. C8 Sciences, distributor of a sophisticated brain training program used to help students improve thinking skills announces a new partnership with Universal Academy, located in the Dallas area.

With C8 Sciences’ ACTIVATE program in place, Universal Academy students from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds will have access to both physical and online cognitive exercises to improve thinking and learning skills. Committed to across-the-board student improvement, C8 Sciences and Universal Academy will collaborate to enable students of both low- and high-income families to experience the benefits of the robust ACTIVATE platform.

“With our goal to help students become life-long learners, the ACTIVATE program is a natural fit for our school environment,” said Diane Harris, CEO and superintendent of Universal Academy. “By working on executive function skills with students, we’ll further elevate their ability to excel in all learning opportunities.”

Grounded in neuroscience research developed at Yale University by Dr. Bruce Wexler, the ACTIVATE program improves critical thinking skills through a combination of computer and physical tasks. ACTIVATE is designed for use in K-12 classrooms to grow and track cognitive skills. The program improves skills essential to learning such as working memory, self-control, sustained attention and cognitive flexibility.
“This new partnership will widen ACTIVATE’s positive impact in K-12 schools,” said Dr. Bruce Wexler, founder of C8 Sciences. “We look forward to seeing the results that come out of Universal Academy, and learning about the differences teachers see in the classroom.”

Universal Academy is a network of charter schools that has the mission to create a challenging and intellectually engaging curriculum by providing varied learning opportunities that focus on the development of instructional excellence, leadership and character building. The student population is 16 percent English Language Learners and another 16 percent receives special education services. Universal Academy earned a Bronze Award from U.S. News & World Report’s Top High Schools.

Universal Academy will begin implementing ACTIVATE in January 2017. The program will be accessible to 1,000 students in both special education and general education. For more information about the ACTIVATE program, please visit https://www.c8sciences.com/

About C8 Sciences

C8 Sciences provides the marketplace with ACTIVATE, a research-backed, game-based brain training program used to help students of all abilities improve critical thinking skills and enhance learning capabilities. Developed by Yale neuroscientists, ACTIVATE combines computer and physical exercises to strengthen the brain systems important for skills such as memory, attention and self-control. To learn more about C8 Sciences and the ACTIVATE program, visit https://www.c8sciences.com.

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Media Contacts:
— Quinn Buchanan, C. Blohm & Associates, quinn@cblohm.com, 608-216-7300, ext. 21

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