With 12 cousins in their crew, the kids in the Thompson family have always had someone to lean on.
"They’re very close even though they’re cousins they’re like siblings," Kristen Thompson said
When the Thompsons realized CMS was going to be virtual again this school year, they decided to make the most of it.
"We just wanted to embody the whole mantra of it takes a village," Thompson said
That village now has its own place to learn.
"I said listen if we’re gonna do this, we’re gonna do this fully because if we take it seriously they’re gonna take it seriously," Thompson explained.
The family pooled their money together and bought laptops, headphones, chairs and desks for all of the children.
"We take education very seriously in our family," Thompson said
The youngest children, get help from the oldest.
"Senior year can be very difficult," Haylei Reynolds said. "I’m about to go to college so just knowing that they’re there and they want me to succeed in the best way I can."
5th grader Tama said this dedicated learning space has given him a way to focus again.
"It looks like a classroom so it feels like I’m in the right environment to work," Tama said.