Beginnings

Between my freshman and sophomore years in college while I was still majoring in “general studies” (whatever that is), my parents sent me to the Johnson O’Connor Research Foundation located in Chicago. It was time for me to find out my natural abilities, and this was to help me find my major and direct my future.

After a few half-days of face-to-face testing, my mom and I went back for the final review. I didn’t know what to expect when walking into that office. A man was sitting behind his desk while my mom and I sat uncomfortably across it. Without showing me the results, he told me I should be the CEO of a small manufacturing company. My mom and I laughed audibly. The man asked what was so funny. “That’s what my husband does,” replied mom.

One-by-one this man went through the specific test example and my score. He built his case.

After he was done with the analysis, he reminded us of the laughter and asked me what I wanted to do. “I kind of always wanted to be a teacher,” I responded, broken. The man said I’d be bored doing that.

I left his office thinking that was that: I would go back to college in the fall and major in business eventually taking over for my dad. Eight years later, after completing college and working in the business world for a bit, I found myself in an elementary classroom teaching science, and I loved it.

The testing Johnson O’Connor provided was sound and solid. I still look back on it and believe they nailed the abilities. However, abilities only tell a small part of someone’s story. This is where The Highlands Company differs. With the same solid ability testing, Highlands recognizes that a person can’t be reduced to scores on paper. So much more goes into us. Enter the Whole Person Model.

What the man didn’t take into account decades ago were the other components of me: personality, passions/interests, and values. I look forward to helping teens navigate high school and beyond through the Highlands Ability Battery as well as the other components of the Whole Person Model. I’m ready to help teens find their way.