Helping Students Thrive
In High School, College, and beyond.
STRiVE is a convenient, on-demand platform and app that supports students from grades 9 through undergraduate years. By bridging the gap between traditional education and essential executive functioning skills, STRiVE equips students with the tools they need to plan, focus, manage time, and handle responsibilities with confidence. Whether they're navigating high school, college, or exploring paths beyond college, STRiVE helps them succeed academically, make informed life decisions, and reduce feelings of overwhelm—setting them up for success during school and well into the future.
NO STUDENT should have to feel overwhelmed & uncertain about their future.
Traditional advice often falls short—guidance counselors are overbooked, online information is confusing, and friends and family mean well but might not have the answers. That’s where STRiVE steps in.
Our program will help you:
✔️ Make clear, confident decisions about your major and career.
✔️ Manage stress and maintain your mental well-being.
✔️ Adapt to academic rigor with effective study strategies.
✔️ Master time management to balance school and life.
✔️ Navigate college independence with clarity and confidence.
Stop feeling STUCK. End the Cycle Before It’s Too Late.
Without STRiVE, many students may find themselves struggling with uncertainty and overwhelm. The lack of effective guidance can lead to feeling stuck and unsure about their future.
Here’s what can happen without the right support:
❌ Make unclear, uncertain decisions about their major and career.
❌ Experience heightened stress and deteriorating mental health.
❌ Struggle to cope with the academic demands and workload.
❌ Mismanage time, leading to burnout and missed deadlines.
❌ Feel lost navigating the independence and expectations of college life.
How it Works
Every skill you gain brings you closer to thriving in your academic journey, life, and career—during and beyond college.
Step 1: Assess Your Needs
Take our Executive Functioning Skills Assessment to understand where you stand and what you need to thrive.
Step 2: Get Started
Meet with a STRiVE coach to choose the best program tailored to you and start your journey.
Step 3: Start Thriving
Receive personalized coaching & tools to help you succeed academically and beyond.
What are Executive Functioning skills?
Executive functioning skills refer to a set of cognitive processes and mental abilities that enable individuals to manage, plan, organize, initiate, and complete tasks. These skills play a crucial role in goal-directed behavior, allowing individuals to navigate the demands of daily life effectively.
Executive Functioning
CONSISTS OF:
Working Memory
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Response Inhibition
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Task Initiation
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Planning & Prioritization
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Cognitive Flexibility
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Goal-Directed Persistence
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Emotional Regulation
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Stress Tolerance
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Organization
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Time Management
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Metacognition
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Sustained Attention
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Working Memory 〰️ Response Inhibition 〰️ Task Initiation 〰️ Planning & Prioritization 〰️ Cognitive Flexibility 〰️ Goal-Directed Persistence 〰️ Emotional Regulation 〰️ Stress Tolerance 〰️ Organization 〰️ Time Management 〰️ Metacognition 〰️ Sustained Attention 〰️
But what do these mean?
Meet Neftalí (Nef) Vélez, the Founder of STRiVE
Neftalí (Nef) Vélez, founder of Spirit Panda Coaching, spent over eight years guiding young adults, an experience that laid the foundation for creating STRiVE. His expertise in problem-solving and structured thinking, combined with a passion for helping others design their lives, led him to develop a program focused on tactical, results-driven solutions. With two degrees in engineering and a talent for reverse engineering challenges, Nef created STRiVE to help students transition from feeling lost and overwhelmed to gaining clarity, purpose, and success in their academic and personal lives.
Real Students, Real Success
"If you’re considering STRiVE but have doubts, take the leap. I wasn’t sure at first, but this program gave me the tools, guidance, and support to overcome challenges and find balance. It’s an investment in yourself that pays off far beyond the 12 weeks."
Madeline McPhail
Arizona State University
“The main challenge facing me post-college was not knowing what the next steps were after college. It was beneficial having someone you can talk about the troubles you are facing, and then they can develop a game plan with you to tackle those obstacles.”
Ben Larsen
UC Santa Barbara Graduate