About Brilliant Futures Tutoring

Our Mission

With 40% of children unable to read proficiently, our mission is clear: to connect passionate tutors with as many children as possible, and make reading a reality for every child.

Laurel Sanders | owner and founder

Hi, I’m Laurel Sanders — welcome! I founded Brilliant Futures Tutoring because I believe every struggling reader deserves a real path forward. I’m so glad you’re here.

Here’s a little about my journey — and why this work means so much to me.

Laurel Sanders has spent more than 20 years doing one thing exceptionally well: helping struggling readers find their footing and their confidence.

Her background is as broad as it is deep. She has homeschooled her own children, provided respite care for children and adults with special needs, worked as an Educational Assistant in the Prince George School District, and tutored students with dyslexia, apraxia, ADHD, autism, Asperger’s, and memory challenges as well as adult learners building reading, writing, and business grammar skills. In April 2021, she retired from the school district to pursue tutoring full-time. It was an easy decision.

A Journey Toward Something Better

Laurel’s approach to reading instruction has been anything but static. Her journey began with the Orton-Gillingham (OG) method, first with her own children, then with formal certification in 2004, and ultimately with decades of dedicated practice.

OG is widely regarded as the gold standard of reading instruction, and for good reason. Laurel used it faithfully for nearly two decades. But many of her students, older kids especially, simply didn’t have years to work through a full OG program. That reality kept pressing on her, until one question took hold and wouldn’t let go:

“Is there another way?”

That question led her, in 2023, to Linguistic Literacy, also known as Speech-to-Print or Linguistic Phonics. Historically grounded and scientifically proven, it was exactly the method she’d been looking for.

The discovery changed everything.

Where OG relies heavily on spelling rules, syllable rules, phonics rules, extended use of controlled text, and 95-100% mastery of concepts before moving on, Linguistic Literacy takes a different path entirely — one that dramatically reduces cognitive load and accelerates progress into authentic reading. After months of rigorous research and honest reflection, Laurel became convinced: students don’t need a rulebook to learn to read. They need the right method.

The results of switching to Linguistic Literacy with her students — from Kindergarten through Grade 12 — were immediate and undeniable. The transformation she witnessed in their reading and writing development was nothing short of remarkable:

• Faster progress into authentic texts
• Less cognitive load — no rules, no exceptions, no memorization quagmire
• Greater confidence and stronger critical thinking
• More engagement — and more joy

Most importantly, students began to see themselves as readers. Moving a child from struggling to confident — from “I can’t” to “I can” — is exactly what it means to make reading a reality.

Her Philosophy

“Success is achieved by the steady pursuit of a worthy goal.”

For Laurel, helping a child overcome a reading challenge is one of the worthiest goals there is. Every breakthrough moment — the smile, the pride, the growing confidence — is the reward. Parents often say her enthusiasm brings out the best in their children. She couldn’t agree more.

Candice Paluck

Candice is a valued member of the Brilliant Futures Tutoring team and has been confidently delivering EBLI reading instruction since fall 2024.

Candice grew up in a small Alberta town, where she learned firsthand what it means to navigate ADHD and other learning differences. Those early experiences didn’t hold her back; they shaped her. They built the resilience, insight, and deep empathy she brings to every child she works with today.

Her path to Prince George has been anything but ordinary. She has served in Search and Rescue in California, worked as a firefighter in Nevada, and practiced as a Registered Nurse in Manitoba — a career journey defined by one constant: showing up for people when it matters most. She also took time to travel and broaden her perspective before settling here with her husband and children.

That same heart for helping others is exactly what drives her work with kids. Candice has a genuine passion for supporting children as they grow into their own unique learning identities; and she means that! Every child is different. Every child deserves to be seen, encouraged, and believed in. It is a privilege she never takes for granted.

Learning and applying the EBLI program of reading instruction has been one of her greatest joys. Watching a struggling reader grow in confidence, and watching those strategies click , is the kind of reward that keeps her going every single day.

When she’s not cheering on her students, you’ll find Candice out on the trails, fishing, camping, or diving into a creative craft project. She lives the adventure she loves, and she brings that same energy right into the learning space.

Communication

You’ll have direct communication with your child’s tutor by phone, text, and email. A shared “Can Do” Google document serves as your child’s progress record, which is updated regularly with new learning, completed activities, and tutor notes.

You’re right there with them every step of the way — no surprises, just progress.