Alexia is a current graduate student at San Diego State University (SDSU), where she will be earning her Master’s in Teaching Mathematics and Science. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education while earning her Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential and TESL/TEFL Certificate simultaneously at SDSU. Through her undergraduate program and teaching experience, she has been exposed to various learning environments, teaching methods, and learners. She has experience working with students in primary grades up to high school. She has tutored students one-on-one and supported others through small groups and whole-class instruction.

Alexia believes every student has the potential to achieve all their personal and academic goals. She aspires to inspire students by building up their self-esteem and confidence. She enjoys getting to know students personally, integrating student interests and Funds of Knowledge into the learning. Her teaching philosophy is rooted in making every student feel loved and valued, to see them as remarkable individuals who come into a session with skills and interests that will benefit them in their learning and make it an enjoyable experience, whether that be knowing how to tie their shoes or having the patience to create an elaborate Minecraft world. Alexia knows all students are capable and recognizes they are people first and learners second. She understands what it means to meet them where they are and guides them forward by fostering a safe learning environment that promotes supportive, inclusive, and tailored learning where she hopes students feel confident in making mistakes and feel motivated to take ownership of their learning!

Isabella, or Bella, is a 5th grade teacher at St. Pius x School. She is currently completing her Masters in English Language Learning and her Credential in Elementary Education. She is a San Diego Mesa College and SDSU grad and will soon be a National University grad.

Bella has a passion for being in the classroom and particularly loves teaching math. She believes that math instills confidence, resilience, and a passion for problem solving. She is dedicated, open-minded, patient, and creative. With all of her experience, she has gained many teaching strategies that she keeps in her toolbox. She is great at adapting her teaching style at any moment and can recognize when modifications need to be made.

In her free time, Bella enjoys walks with her dog Nala, watching movies, and going to Disneyland.

Beverly graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from Harvey Mudd College and a Master’s of Education from Boston University. She is a Certified Teacher who has worked with elementary and middle school students in Taiwan, Japan, and the United States. Beverly’s diverse teaching experience has shown her that building relationships with students is the most important step in meeting their educational needs. She believes every student is a “math person” and prioritizes developing number sense and critical thinking during her sessions. Beverly is excited to help students find learning strategies that work for them and encourage their curiosity about math.

In her spare time, Beverly enjoys hiking through autumn landscapes, solving jigsaw puzzles, and pondering why students have contentious arguments over whether a hotdog is a sandwich. (She’s inclined to say, “Yes,” per the Merriam-Webster definition.)

Bryan started his teaching career teaching swimming lessons for his own company called YardSwim. Then he went on to teach CPR and first aid classes for the American Red Cross. After that, he worked in autism services for about ten years, most of which was with Easterseals. During that time, he provided evidence based, behavioral management training and therapies for children and families all around San Diego County. He graduated from San Diego State University and now has a master’s degree specializing in critical thinking. Right now, Bryan is teaching fifth grade at Rolando Park Elementary but he has also worked in San Diego schools all over the county teaching music and art for VAPA. VAPA stands for Visual Arts and Performing Arts and it is a division of San Diego Unified.

Inspiring students, making learning fun, and working to improve individual student performance are his passions. He loves showing students that problems are not obstacles as much as they are opportunities to grow stronger and better. He knows that it is vital to make learning fun for students so that they are naturally curious and are intrinsically motivated. Bryan is a huge proponent of individualizing instruction and collaborating with parents and guardians so that students can develop the skills needed to persevere and successfully conquer all types of challenges.

Cassidy is a Midwesterner-turned-Californian with a Bachelor of Arts in English from Fort Hays State University in western Kansas, as well as a Master of Arts in Literature and Literary Theory from the University of Kansas.

While she has primarily studied Secondary English Education, she has worked with students of all ages in various settings. Most recently, she taught at the collegiate level as an English instructor, teaching core courses in the English department at KU. She taught ENGL101: Composition, ENGL102: Critical Reading and Writing, and a course she designed entirely, ENGL203: Topics in Reading and Writing: the Roaring 20s. She completed her master’s thesis over The Great Gatsby.

While Cassidy loved being a student, her goal was always to teach—she even received pretend gradebooks and lesson plan notebooks for Christmas as a child because of her goal to become a teacher. She loves the feeling of creating community in a classroom and helping students find their voice and passions. Cassidy is a proud cat mom of two: Greta (named after everyone’s favorite Swedish climate activist) and Fitz (short for Fitzgerald, because of course). She is also a Scorpio, and in her free time, she loves baking to satiate her sweet tooth, color coding the books on her bookshelf, and advocating for the Oxford comma. Overall, she is elated to build relationships with students and share her love of literature. She believes in English and all its facets as an indelible tool for understanding the world around us.

Eduardo is a native Spanish speaker. He has an undergraduate degree and Master’s degree in Spanish. He earned both degrees at San Diego State University. During his time at the Master’s program he taught Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Spanish.

After graduating from college, he started teaching K-12 as a substitute teacher. He has experience teaching every educational level. From Kindergarten all the way to College.

Eduardo is very excited to start this new journey as a tutor. His goal and number one priority is to see his students succeed and having fun by learning a new language.

In his free time he likes to spend his time at the beach, hiking, jogging, going to the movies, and attending sports events.

Emily proudly holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in the social sciences, with additional training in economics, statistics, and college admissions preparation. She is also a Fall 2024 PhD admit at UCLA and has proven expertise in tutoring, teaching, and student support at all academic levels. Overall, she is patient, empathetic, and dedicated to helping your
child succeed in all of their academic endeavors, whether it be catching up on a subject in school or preparing for university. She’s here for you! Emily’s favorite San Diego spots include La Jolla shores and Balboa park, and in her spare time she can be found in the sun with a good book.

Emmanuel has been teaching since 2007 in a diverse range of places, from Los Angeles to Japan, Miami, and San Diego. He has taught students from 2nd to 12th grade, and has a special enthusiasm for phonics at the early grade levels and US history at the upper grades, although he is similarly enthusiastic for mathematics from lower elementary all the way through high school . He also has a keen interest in languages, and is bilingual in French and English, as well as having studied Spanish, Hebrew, and Japanese. Emmanuel believes that every subject is inherently fascinating and that every student is capable of excelling, even in a subject that they never imagined themselves to be experts in. He loves helping students to embrace struggle and feel the satisfaction that comes with pushing themselves to more than they thought possible.

Farin has over 10 years of experience teaching in the classroom, grades K-12. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of San Diego, her Multiple Subject Credential and Masters of Education from National University, and her Special Education Credential from Cal State San Marcos.

She takes a passionate pride in nurturing and guiding students so they will develop a love for learning that enhances their abilities and thus become contributing citizens in their community. She has a patient, yet firm and consistent demeanor, which has allowed her to be successful in reaching students with varying needs and learning abilities.

She is well versed in the IEP process, assessing students, and able to support parents and students with special education needs.

Jessica is currently pursuing a master’s degree in education for Preliminary Single Subject Teaching Credential with an emphasis on Inspired Teaching and Learning. Her goal is to teach Biology/Science to secondary level students (grades 7-12) once she receives her teaching credential.

Jessica’s teaching/tutoring experiences began while she was in school herself. She always helped her classmates when they were having difficulty understanding new concepts and worked as a student aid and student tutor in high school. While she served in the US Navy, she was an instructor for about three years and learned that each student is and learns differently and successfully tailored her lessons and instruction methods to meet the needs of every student.

Jessica loves learning about science and earned a BS in biology which made her even more curious and in awe of the world around her. She likes traveling, going for walks, observing the everyday phenomena she encounters, watching movies and shows, listening to a variety of music, teaching, and learning. As a future biology or science teacher she hopes to inspire the next generation of scientists to stay curious and do great things.

Jessica Vargas has been teaching high school for over 20 years. During that time, she focused on English/English as a Second Language, Spanish, and college preparedness. She is the coordinator of AVID at her high school and part of a college network that aims to get students into colleges that fit and tailor their needs. She builds great rapport with students and is a great motivator. Her energy and enthusiasm mesh well with junior and high school students. She is patient with high expectations, firm but warm. Her true gift is helping students get into college. Specializing not only with the UC/CSU system, she is also very knowledgeable with private school applications and scholarships. Jessica Vargas is a great choice during college application season, or anytime for tutor support. Bilingual and IEP support is available as well.

Kendall is an experienced and committed educator. She has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Special Education from the University of Delaware. Kendall has worked closely to support students with diverse learning needs at the elementary level. She currently works as a special education teacher at a K-5 Charter School. Kendall has a passion for helping students reach their full potential, especially in the area of reading development. She believes in using research based, multi-sensory intervention programs that target students’ unique needs. She looks forward to the opportunity to work with your family and make a positive impact on your child’s learning journey.

Kristina has taught Science and AP Psychology at Brunswick School in CT for ten years. She is excited to start a new chapter at Bishop’s School as a Biology Teacher! She has a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Claremont McKenna College, a Master’s of Art in Teaching from Manhattanville College, and a Master’s of Science in Biology from NYU.

Biology and Chemistry can be some of the most challenging classes in high school, and she enjoys breaking the material down into smaller, digestible parts. Incorporating the latest research in Cognitive Science, she likes to focus on the context, or big picture, and then tackles the nuances of the material. She utilizes videos, diagrams, drawings, and lots of practice problems to instruct all types of learners.

In her free time, she loves taking her 75lb golden retriever, Zeus, for walks!

Lindsay has been assisting students with math since she was a student herself. She began tutoring in college as a way to make money; however, it evolved into more of a hobby than a job. She fell in love with helping students understand the complexities of mathematics and witnessing that lightbulb turn on inside their heads. Lindsay earned her BS in Mathematics from Virginia Tech in 2016. However, she wanted to continue learning how best to teach math. She worked her way to complete her MA in Education by 2022. Lindsay has been working with students of all ages for over a decade, both in person and virtually, while maintaining a full-time job as a Cost Analyst for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). She is excited to join the Prep Academy Tutors team and help more students in need.

Nika graduated from the University of California, San Diego with Magna Cum Laude Honors for her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and her minors in Writing and Eastern European Studies. While at UC San Diego, Nika became a teaching assistant for a writing course and discovered her combined passion for education and literature. She has had her writing published in literary arts journals at UC San Diego and UC Santa Cruz, as well as in the San Diego Poetry Annual. As an educator, Nika prides herself on always creating a personalized learning setting, as no two students learn the same. Her warm personality allows students to feel at ease, and her in depth knowledge in English, Language Arts, Literature, and Writing leads them to flourish.

You can often find Nika listening to audiobooks while drinking a hot cup of Irish Breakfast tea and her cat nearby. But if it’s a Tuesday evening, she’s running the bases on the softball field as the captain of a co-ed adult softball league.