Redstone Federal Credit Union

6 | r e d f c u.o r g Ray Allister wants to take the stress out of college test prep. His educational services business was born out of the frustration and stress he sees on teenagers' faces as they try to score well on college entrance exams. "I've always liked solving problems, and when I saw how all this stress was making these kids freak out about their lives at 17, I wanted to create a program that would make the learning process a lot less stressful," said Allister, owner of Allister Educational Services. "We have to focus on mastering skills and not memorization." Allister opened his business in 2015 as a sole proprietor and upgraded to a limited liability corporation three years later. He estimates that he has served 450 students since 2015. He currently has four educators on his payroll and is looking to hire more. "Redstone Federal Credit Union has been a great partner," Allister said. He's had his business accounts with Redstone since day one and has found the Credit Union offers everything he needs for his business. He especially appreciates the seminars Redstone hosts for business owners. Allister Educational Services has two main focuses: getting kids ready for college by helping them raise their ACT, SAT, and PSAT test scores; and helping them master high school courses they are struggling in so that their grades will improve. "I'm also a little bit of a motivational speaker for our kids. Another voice to reiterate what their parents may already be saying about college preparation," he added. Lynnae Hall, a mother of one of Allister's students, said Allister focuses on the individual student and their educational needs; he also makes test prep fun, motivational, and practical. "Because of Ray's unique approach, my son wants to attend each session, sees purpose in what he's learning, and has confidence when taking the ACT," said Hall. Allister started tutoring to make extra money after he graduated from Oakwood University, where he holds an undergraduate degree in Computer Science. As he prepared to apply to graduate school at UAH, he began working part-time with Appleton Learning as a tutor. rough that experience, he felt called to education. He went on to teach at Westminster Academy and Oakwood Academy. It was during those years that he saw the frustrations stemming from the way students were taught to study for these tests. He believes ACT/SAT prep should be a long-term process and start in freshman or sophomore years. at way, students S M A L L B U S I N E S S S P O T L I G H T 6 | r e d f c u.o r g Allister Educational Services Continued on page 13

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