How it works
A coached program, with a watchful eye between sessions.
From the first conversation to the day the record is submitted, and on to the next level.
Tallyhurst coaches teenagers aged 13 to 23 through youth award programs, online across the United States. We choose the right award and level, set the goals, and open one activity log. Regular sessions with a parent or guardian present keep the work moving, the eight-day rule catches a quiet log within days, parents receive a monthly written report, and we stay until every record is submitted.
Last reviewed: November 2026
Before we begin
Every family starts with a twenty-minute conversation with a parent. We ask about your teenager's interests, schedule and goals, and tell you plainly whether Tallyhurst is the right fit. If it is, enrollment includes a written agreement and a consent form covering sessions, communication, recording and any expedition support. We coach students from age 13.
The four steps
A plan and a single log.
We choose the award, or combination of awards, and the right starting level for your teenager's age and ambitions. Together we map the months ahead around school, sport and exams, write goals each program will accept, and complete registration with each award body. Then we open one shared activity log. Your teenager records every hour of service, practice, training and project work in it, with a short note on what they did. Each award's record book is later written from that log by your teenager, following that award's own rules.
Regular coaching.
Online sessions follow a regular rhythm agreed with each family at enrollment, with more support around expeditions, projects and submissions. In each session we review the log, solve what is stuck, and set the next step. A parent or guardian is present for every session with a student under 18, or a second screened adult attends. Where Tallyhurst can serve in an official role, such as Advisor for The Congressional Award, we do.
The eight-day rule.
Between sessions, we read the log. Good entries get noticed and acknowledged. If eight days pass with no entry, we check in by email with a parent copied. If the silence continues, we speak with a parent directly. Most programs fail quietly, over months, without anyone noticing. Ours cannot.
Submitted and complete.
When a level's requirements are met, we check the record against every one of the program's rules and confirm the submission is complete. Your teenager writes every word; we never draft or edit a record book. Then we start on the next level, carrying forward everything already earned.
What parents receive
A copy of every message we send your teenager. Access to the activity log at any time. A written progress report every month, showing hours and months logged against each goal, what went well, what comes next and anything that needs a parent's attention. And a direct line to us whenever a decision needs you.
Starting in 8th grade
The earlier a student begins, the further the awards can take them. Here is one path for a student who joins us at 13.
| Age | What happens |
|---|---|
| 13 | Joins Tallyhurst. Starts the Youth STEMM Award at Bronze, chooses activities and builds the weekly logging habit. |
| 13 and a half | Registers for The Congressional Award. From this day, every hour counts. |
| 14 | Begins The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award at Bronze. Earns the first Congressional Award Certificates along the way. |
| 15 | International Award Silver. A first CREST project for students drawn to STEM. |
| 16 | Congressional Award Gold Medal within reach, after its 24-month minimum. International Award Gold opens. |
| 17 and over | International Award Gold, including the Adventurous Journey and Gold Project, and CREST Gold for STEM students. |
An example, not a guarantee. Every plan is built around the individual student, and students who start later follow a shorter path.
Expeditions and journeys
The Congressional Award expedition and the International Award's Adventurous Journey must be planned and led by the young people themselves. We coach the planning, the route, the kit and the preparation so the journey meets each program's requirements; the write-up is the student's own. For families in Florida, we can arrange expedition support, with screened adults providing safety and logistics while the students lead. Every expedition follows our safeguarding standard, including two screened adults at all times and signed parent consent and medical forms.
Safe by design
Every conversation includes three people: the student, a parent or guardian, and the coach. Sessions run on Tallyhurst's own Zoom account, with a waiting room, a unique link for each family, and the student admitted only once a parent or second screened adult has joined. Coaches never use private messages, texts or social media with students. Sessions are recorded only with written consent from parent and student, and recordings are deleted after 90 days. Every Tallyhurst adult passes a background check, completes child protection training and signs our code of conduct. Our automated check-ins never write, correct or rewrite a student's entries.
Questions about how it works
How often are coaching sessions?
Sessions follow a regular rhythm agreed with each family at enrollment, with extra support around expeditions, projects and submissions.
Who keeps the activity log?
Your teenager does. We read it between sessions, and your teenager writes each award's record book from it.
Can parents see the log?
Yes. Parents can open the activity log at any time and are copied on every message we send.
What is in the monthly report?
Hours and months logged against each goal, what went well, what comes next, and anything that needs a parent's attention.
What if my teenager falls behind?
The eight-day rule catches a quiet log early. We then adjust the plan, re-set the goals if needed and bring in a parent, so a slow month does not become a lost year.
Can my teenager start partway through the school year?
Yes. The award programs can be started at any time, and we build the plan from wherever your teenager is.
What happens after a level is submitted?
We start on the next level straight away, carrying forward the hours and experience already earned.