Title: Owner and Director
Company: Forest Trail Academy
Location: Loxahatchee, Florida, United States
Dr. Gifty Chung, owner and director of the Forest Trail Academy, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in online education.
For more than 20 years, Dr. Chung has devoted herself to mastering the complexities of the world of education. After immigrating to the United States from her home country of Ghana, she knew how important it was for young people to have access to a strong education. Upon finishing her own schooling, Dr. Chung initially took on the role of teacher at various inner-city public schools in Akron, Ohio, as well as at Perkins Middle School. Across six years, she also handled the responsibilities of school administrator and board member. During these tenures, Dr. Chung recognized how many students had potential that was being held back due to a lack of resources.
In 2007, Dr. Chung set out to solve this problem with the creation of the Forest Trail Academy. Through this institution, she seeks to provide a more flexible, student-guided approach to education. As director of the Forest Trail Academy, Dr. Chung has established herself as a leader in the world of online learning, offering young students an asynchronous approach that can match their own pace. She prides herself on delivering a high-quality but affordable education that empowers Forest Trail students to become lifelong learners.
In order to become a great educator, Dr. Chung first built a solid foundation in her own education, beginning with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology with a minor in general education from the University of Florida. She obtained a master’s degree in secondary education with licensure in Spanish from the University of Akron. Dr. Chung earned a PhD in education and educational leadership from the University of Phoenix. Additionally, she is certified as a principal through the University of Akron.
Noted for her achievements in the field, Dr. Chung has garnered numerous accolades. In 2017, the Forest Trail Academy was listed as the number three online school in the world. Two years later, Dr. Chung was named the Best Administrator in Home School Education.
Dr. Chung considers the success of the Forest Trail Academy to be the greatest highlight of her career. She recalls encountering skepticism when she was first starting the company but has proven the strength of her idea over nearly 20 years in operation. Additionally, Dr. Chung has helped open the Forest Trail Academy to special needs education. She has viewed teaching as her purpose in life from a young age and firmly believes that she is currently the best possible version of herself. Dr. Chung also attributes her success to her upbringing, particularly from her mother, who taught her that education was something no one could take away from her.
Outside of her professional life, Dr. Chung is a dedicated mother to three children. Planning for the future, she aims to make use of cutting-edge technology to make online learning more effective. Dr. Chung is also seeking new methods for making the Forest Trail Academy more accessible to students regardless of location or financial status. She remains focused on creating circumstances that will allow her to impact education for more students, including giving parents and students more autonomy and offering lessons that set students up for long-term success.
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