SEATTLE, Wash. (February 23, 2021)— Hao Lam, innovator, entrepreneur, and founder of Best in Class Education Center, takes his passion for learning and addresses today’s need for an innovative online learning platform to supplement math and English education for all students with his new endeavor, Adaptively Education.
As a seven-year-old boy living in North Vietnam, Lam did not have access to education, not like the education students in the U.S. experience. Needing to escape communist rule, illiterate and worried for his family, Lam was told he would need to leave the country, the only home he knew, to seek a better life. After 13 years of attempting to flee the country, Lam successfully made it to a Philippine refugee camp, where he began his educational journey by first learning English.
In 1989, at 21 years of age, Lam settled in British Columbia, Canada. “My dream was to go to school,” said Lam. “I wanted a high school diploma. I barely knew any English, but I
was determined to get an education. People grew up here and went to school. They didn’t understand why it was such a big deal for me.”
Lam’s passion and drive for education kept him focused on his ultimate goal. With a high school diploma in hand, Lam wanted more, and within four years, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from the University of British Columbia. A year later, he was teaching others.
“I moved to Seattle and opened my first tutoring school without much knowledge of best practices. I just wanted to teach others. As an illiterate child growing up, I am so passionate about teaching and education. It’s near and dear to my heart. I’ve dedicated my career to helping others succeed and feel like they can apply their math and English skills to accomplish anything.”
Lam’s first education center opened in the heart of Seattle in 1995. His company grew and served more than 65 communities across the United States before the pandemic hit last year.
Always ready for the unexpected, the sudden change in school access led Lam to launch his online learning platform, Adaptively, earlier than anticipated. With 26 years of experience in the supplemental education field, Lam knew additional enrichment would be needed now more than ever and moved forward to offer another option so students wouldn’t fall behind in critical core courses such as English and math. Adaptively offers a human plus technology approach with passionate teachers and a state-of-the-art learning platform, all focused on making the student experience fun and engaging.
“It never feels like I am working,” said Lam. “With the continued support from my wife, Lisa, and family, I am inspired. The students I’ve taught over the years still encourage and
support me. My hope is to truly make a difference and provide access to education in order to make people’s lives a little bit better every day.”
The Lams hope to give back even more soon. As refugees, their dream is to create a non-profit foundation where students in need have free access to quality education support. They push themselves harder every day to serve more students with a mission to leave a positive impact on the world’s most underprivileged children.
About Adaptively: Adaptively is an online math, reading, and writing enrichment learning program, focusing on students in 1st through 8th grade. Its unique combination of innovative technology, human touch, and gamification means more effective learning. Adaptively can help identify where a student is in their journey and define a path that is set to their individualized needs, make it challenging and exciting, while exploring their true potential. Most of all, it allows students to learn while having fun. For more information about Adaptively, visit our website at adaptivelyeducation.com.
