CAPES AcademyCreate A Path to Exceptional Success Try a free Lesson 1 sample →
For the adults who show up for young people

Change the pathway not the person.

Remove barriers. Create better routes to success. Try a free sample of Lesson 1 from our Foundations Coach program, then tell us what would make it work for you.

Try a free Lesson 1 sample See the approach
Free sample of Lesson 1 · Your feedback shapes the full program

The CAPES approach

Young people don't need to be redesigned. The systems that support them do. CAPES coaches learn a simple sequence they can use every day.

STEP 1

Notice

See the barrier, not the label. "Lazy," "difficult" and "too sensitive" describe a moment, not a young person.

STEP 2

Understand

Ask, don't assume. Listen to the young person and the people around them to learn what is really getting in the way.

STEP 3

Change the pathway

Adjust the route, the expectations or the support, with accommodations built around real needs, not blame.

Built on research

CAPES isn't built on guesswork. Each part of the Foundations program draws on published research about what helps the adults who support young people.

Coaching changes practiceAcross 60 studies, coaching improved how educators teach, and their students learned more.
Mental health know-how helpsTraining in youth mental health improved educators' knowledge, attitudes and support for students.
Caring adults make a differenceIn a randomized trial, young people with a mentor had fewer emotional and behavior problems a year later.
Grounded in what works for kidsCAPES follows the CASEL framework for social-emotional learning, backed by 424 studies of more than 575,000 students.

Sources: Kraft, Blazar & Hogan, 2018; Ramakrishnan et al., 2026; Herrera et al., 2023; Cipriano et al., 2023.

Built for the people in the room

Pick the one that sounds most like you. We'll tailor what we send you.

What you'll walk away with

In our research, people who work with young people told us what would make a program worth their time. CAPES is built around their answers.

A credential that moves your careerThree certification levels: Foundations Coach, Advanced Coach, Systems Leader.
Coaching and facilitation skillsPractical ways to guide young people, families and colleagues toward a better path.
Youth mental health and SPED know-howUnderstand learner needs well enough to spot the real barrier.
Impact you can seeBetter routes to success for the students, programs and families you serve.
Level 1 certification

CAPES Certified Foundations Coach

All 8 Foundations lessons, self-paced, and your Level 1 CAPES certification. Start with a free Lesson 1 sample.

An optional ICF coaching track is planned for later in 2027.

Try a free Lesson 1 sample
Tuition$2,000
Founding cohort · January 2027
$1,500$2,000

$500 off for our first cohort, starting January 2027, while space allows. To claim it, try the Lesson 1 sample and complete the short feedback questionnaire. Positive or negative, your answers never affect the offer.

Why CAPES exists

My daughter was expelled in second grade. Years later she graduated high school as valedictorian and is thriving in college. She didn't need to be redesigned. The path around her did.

I spent my career designing systems around people, including as a usability engineer at Microsoft. CAPES brings that same thinking to the adults who support young people.

Wendelin, Founder of CAPES Academy
2nd place, DePaul Purpose Pitch Competition
1 · Get access2 · Try the sample3 · Share feedback

Try a free Lesson 1 sample

A short sample of Lesson 1 from the CAPES Certified Foundations Coach program. It's free, and it opens right here as soon as you sign up.

We use your name and email only to give you the Lesson 1 sample and, if you check the box, to send occasional CAPES updates. Your role helps us tailor the program. We never sell or share your information.

How was the Lesson 1 sample?

Your answers decide what we build next, so be as blunt as you like. Completing this questionnaire earns the $500 founding cohort discount, and positive or negative answers never affect it. Every question needs an answer.

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Which would help you most in supporting young people? Choose all that apply
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What would make the full certification worth it to you? Choose all that apply
Want to take a next step? Optional. Check either, both or neither.