The Mark of Excellence Lab
Every Student. Every Step. Every Future.
A student development organization that unifies academic instruction, executive function coaching, and career readiness into one connected pathway from early learning through young adulthood.
The problem we solve
Bright students. Fragmented support.
Most students do not struggle because they lack intelligence. They struggle because they have not been taught the systems, habits, and strategies needed to succeed. Families often piece together tutoring, coaching, and career prep from three different providers. We bring these together into one pathway that grows with the student.
The framework
The Student Success System™
Build Skills. Build Habits. Build Confidence. Build a Future.
LEARN
Students develop foundational academic knowledge and learning strategies.
Our structure
Three Divisions. One Pathway.
The foundation
The Six Pillars of Student Success™
Executive Function
Managing self for success.
Academic Excellence
Mastering the fundamentals.
Leadership & Character
Leading self before leading others.
Financial Literacy
Understanding money and value.
College & Career
Preparing for what is next.
Real-World Application
Turning learning into life.
The Student Journey
One pathway that grows with the student.
Developing
Build confidence and foundational skills.
Pillars most active
- Executive Function
- Academic Excellence
Division leading
HTM Learning Services
Who we serve
Built for the systems around the student.
Alpha
AI Learning Coach · Online
Build Skills
Inside the Client Lab
Meet Alpha. Your AI Learning Coach.
Alpha is the AI-powered coaching companion inside the ME Client Lab. Guiding every student through three stages of growth — building skills, building habits, and building a future.
Enter the Client LabOne companion. Three ages.
Alpha grows with the student, shifting tone and coaching style at every stage.
For early learners
Ages 5 to 10
Warm. Curious. Playful.
For middle school
Ages 11 to 13
Steady. Focused. Kind.
For teens and beyond
Ages 14 to 22
Wise. Present. Assured.
Founders
Educators and operators, together.
LaToya Nelson-Piccott
Co-Founder & Chief Academic Officer
Curriculum, learning design, and student development
Lifelong educator and founder of Happy Tiny Minds. LaToya designs the Lab's curriculum systems, learning experiences, and student portfolios, and leads how the pathway starts strong in the earliest years.
Mark Thompson
Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer
Strategy, innovation, partnerships, and operations
Fortune 500 HR and operations leader with more than twenty years of experience across leading technology enterprises. Founder of Career Transformation Academy, which now operates as the Lab's third division. Mark leads strategy, partnerships, and operations.
20+
Years of combined operations and workforce leadership
6
Pillars of student success
4
Stages of development
3
Integrated divisions
12
Executive function modules in the Pillar I curriculum
1
Unified pathway from early learning through career
We do not simply prepare students for the next test. We prepare them for the next stage of life. That is the mark of excellence.