Samantha S.

Samantha is a bilingual educator with more than 20 years of experience helping students of all ages discover their strengths and enjoy learning. She has taught everything from core subjects in Elementary to Social Studies and English in Middle School to English as a Second Language (ESL) to adults and is known for turning challenges into confidence-building wins through social-emotional learning (SEL). With a Master’s in Positive Education and certifications in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), English as a Second Language (ESL), Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) and Family Coaching, Samantha combines expertise with a warm, encouraging approach that brings out the best in every learner. Samantha combines strong academic expertise with a supportive, student-focused approach. She partners with families to ensure students not only improve their grades but also grow in confidence, motivation, and prevailing learning skills. A lifelong student herself, she’s always taking new courses to keep life (and learning) exciting. When she’s not teaching, you’ll probably find her traveling with her family to eco-destinations where she can connect with nature, reading a thrilling novel, or singing her heart out—sometimes all at once!

Anvitha E.

Anvitha Ellanki is a dedicated tutor from San Antonio, Texas, who blends academic excellence with a deep passion for mentoring and service. Graduated in the top 2% of her class at Health Careers High School and an AP Scholar, she has completed 15 AP courses and earned college credits in subjects like medical terminology, calculus, and English. Beyond the classroom, she’s led health fairs, coached debate students, and conducted research on everything from cactus moths to stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. Whether she’s tutoring students, prepping students for UIL, or editing essays, Anvitha strives to create engaging, supportive, and personalized learning experiences. She’s fluent in English, Telugu, Tamil, and Spanish, trained in classical Indian dance, and believes that confidence and curiosity are the foundation of any student’s success. When she’s not tutoring, you’ll likely find her volunteering at a local hospital, performing Bharatanatyam on stage, or enthusiastically color-coding yet another planner.

Eric B.

Eric Barbosa is Certified 4th-8th grade math teacher in San Antonio, TX with 10 years of experience with 6th-8th grade math. He has 23 years of experience in middle school education, which include teaching math and coaching. Eric enjoys teaching students and helping them to understand mathematical relationships in a way that makes math fun and relevant.

Within Eric’s professional responsibilities are academic leadership, curriculum planning and data analysis. Eric also plans academic interventions for students in need. He finds satisfaction in inspiring student motivation and the joy of learning through success, confidence and fun. One of his favorite quotes is, “If you make your work fun, then you get to wake up and go to “fun” everyday.”

Personally, Eric enjoys spending time with family, reading, outdoor activities and carpentry.

Rene G.

Rene G. is an educator dedicated to optimizing student learning through personalized and effective teaching strategies. Hailing from Ecuador, he has 17 years of experience teaching Mathematics, Design, and Technology at an International Baccalaureate School. Rene holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral and is passionate about fostering student success. He relocated to San Antonio to pursue a Master’s Degree in Applied Mathematics for Industry. During his graduate studies, Rene served as a university instructor, teaching Quantitative Reasoning to freshman. Additionally, he applied his skills at Knowledge and Training through an internship focused on assessing and refining instructional methods, demonstrating a commitment to differentiated instruction and diverse learning styles. Rene’s experience includes implementing individualized learning plans, exploring innovative pedagogical approaches such as peer learning and flipped classrooms, and utilizing student feedback to enhance teaching practices. Rene believes that building strong student relationships is crucial for meeting their individual needs and promoting their academic growth. As a mentor, he continuously develops strategies to support student development, finding these interactions both enjoyable and highly rewarding.

Jaden A.

Jaden graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a minor in French. During her studies, she had the opportunity to work on research in a chemistry lab during a five-month study abroad in Strasbourg, France. Jaden has worked in teaching roles for children all her life, and she’s spent the last year teaching middle school science (6th-8th grade) at a K-12 school. She helped further develop the curricula and increased the emphasis on laboratory experiments each class, convicted to teach through hands-on experience. Whether she is teaching horseback riding or forces and work, Jaden believes that allowing students to forge their own way to understanding Nature’s laws helps them develop confidence and fires their curiosity.

Emily P.

Emily is a certified teacher in Texas with a minor in teaching English as a Second Language. She also has experience as a behavioral therapist for children with autism. Passionate about personalized learning, she finds tutoring to be the perfect opportunity to support students at their individual levels.

As a tutor, Emily has primarily focused on reading, writing, math, and social studies, helping students achieve significant growth both in and out of the classroom. She strives to build confidence in her students, fostering a love for learning in a fun and engaging environment.

A mother of two young children, Emily is beginning her homeschooling journey with her oldest son this year. With plans to homeschool long-term, she deeply values meaningful, impactful lessons tailored to each child’s unique learning needs.

Christy C.

Christy graduated with honors from Texas State University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in middle school education. As a certified teacher for grades 4-8, she taught writing and mathematics in public school classrooms. After marrying her active-duty military husband, Christy continued to educate through private tutoring and substitute teaching at various duty stations nationwide. She has worked with ages Pre-K – 8th grade with extensive experience in improving students ability to understand and solve multistep and mathematical word problems.

For the past eight years, she has focused on raising her two children, with whom she loves to go on adventures. Christy enjoys exploring new playgrounds, restaurants, and theme parks with her family, as well as practicing yoga and Pilates for personal relaxation.

Michael B.

Michael graduated from The University of Texas at San Antonio with a Masters of Science in Mathematics, a Bachelors of Science in Mathematics, and a Bachelors of Science in Physics. He is currently finishing up a Masters in Philosophy.

Before joining Prep Academy Tutors, Michael had 4 years of experience as a Teaching Assistant and Tutor in both Mathematics and Philosophy. He also has served as a guest lecturer in philosophy courses. Michael’s commitment to his students is strong, and he cares deeply about teaching and helping people learn.

Shelley R.

Shelley R. is a certified English and German Teacher, grades 8-12. She grew up in Casper, Wyoming and completed an Undergraduate Degree in Secondary Education at University of Wyoming in 1994. She grew up with a deep love of travel and took the opportunity to be an exchange student in Germany in 1992-3. After returning and graduating, Shelley then wanted to use her passion for teaching and working with children. Starting in 1997, she taught English Language Arts in many states being a former military wife. She also taught German for 1 year in Kansas. As well, she completed a Postgraduate Degree in Secondary Education: Classroom Technology in 2003 at Kansas State University.
She has supported and invested in improving students’ academic skills using her passion for writing and reading. She believes that by building a solid relationship with her students, she can better meet their needs and grow their learning. As a former teacher of 18 years and a tutor, she continues to develop strategies for working with children. She finds working with children to be rewarding and fulfilling.

John R.

John D. R., M.Sc. is a Research Scientist for LuJo BioScience Laboratory (LuJo). He received a B.Sc. from Texas A&M International University, Laredo (2001), and a M.Sc. from the University of Texas at San Antonio (2006). Starting in 2011, he worked as a Senior Research Scientist for Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics (LHNVD) as Research and Development scientist specializing in infectious diseases. in 2007, he was a Staff Scientist with Conceptual Mindworks, Inc. developing anti-terrorism research using non-thermal atmospheric plasma and robotics for all branches of the military at Brooks Air Force Base.

Mr. Rodriguez possesses extensive experience with respiratory pathogens, molecular epidemiology and the development of pathogen diagnostics. He has trained several UTSA, LuJo, and LHNVD personnel (since 2000), has co-authored and published over 18 peer reviewed scientific articles on molecular diagnostics and microbiology, has presented scientific abstracts, posters, and lectures.

Mr. Rodriguez was also a certified former high school science and medical magnet school instructor for the Carrizo Springs CISD for two years (2009-2011). He is also a former UIL Science and Current Events coach who has taken teams of students to the regional competitions for 3A classification schools. His field of expertise are grades 9-12: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Microbiology, Health Careers and Technology, with associated hands-on teaching labs. He is held in high regard by his former hometown teachers and colleagues while teaching at Carrizo Springs High School.