HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) -- In life, classrooms comes in all shapes and sizes.
For seven Henrico County elementary school students, they're learning more than just the three R's in Heather Jarvis' garage.
The mother of four volunteers at her school, her church and leads fourth and fifth graders on an educational journey two times a week, issuing brain twisting challenges
Jarvis' goal is to help the boys compete with the most intelligent students in the world through the Destination Imagination competition.
“She is really dedicated in pushing us forward,” fifth-grader Rishi Verma said.
The River's Edge Elementary School Rangers are seven boys whose specialties are math, science and teamwork.
“It really is focusing on creativity, teamwork and problem solving,” Jarvis said. “I love the program. I love the boys. I'm happy to have them here.”
“It is all just being with your friends. Having great ideas. Building stuff,” says 5th grader Joseph Harrell
The pint-sized group is rewriting school history. In fact, the boys took top honors regionally and placed among the top finishers statewide.
Now they are heading to the Globals at the University of Tennessee, which is akin to the Olympics for the brain.
“I'm so proud of this team going to Globals,” Rivers Edge Principal Johnna Riley said. “Mrs. Jarvis, I think really means the world to these students.”
While their friends play video games or sports after school the Rangers are content with tackling problems under Mrs. Jarvis' direction.
“Clearly she has a lot of other things going on. And just putting us as a part of that is very special to me,” 10-year-old Joseph Harrell said.
“When they have something that has gone very well. And they know they've succeeded they've put their best effort into something, when they're having a really great time with their friends. All of that is rewarding to me,” Jarvis said.
Without their supportive coach, these boys admit jumping from a garage to tackling the globe would be nearly impossible.
“I definitely think we wouldn't be at Globals if we didn't have Ms. Jarvis,” 11-year-old Caid Headley said.
Fourth grader Pulkit Iyer said Jarvis is "like a second Mom."
And Jarvis’ volunteer efforts do not end at her garage. To help raise money for the upcoming trip, she has been leading the fundraising efforts for the Globals competition through donut, lemonade sales and car washes.
The magnificent seven, known as the Rivers Edge Rangers, will leave for the competition in Tennessee early next week.
