Jessica

Board Member

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​I have been working with children for close to 15 years. Several years ago I made the transition away from public education and had the pleasure of working with families in nature. Currently, I am the Lead Teacher for an online organization educating homeschooling families from around the globe! My experiences in education have shown me that parents have a deep desire to understand how their child experiences the world. They are seeking an understanding of how to best support their child in an academic and emotional sense. They were also seeking to build their own emotional toolbelt that would benefit everyone in their family!

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This realization encouraged me to educate myself in this area, and eventually led me to my next degree, and my new journey in creating curriculum focused on answering parent's questions about emotions and development, but in a space where they could come together to connect and experience joyful play with their child.

During my Masters Program I had the opportunity to turn my family classes into research. This process showed me the importance of offering families a space to build their emotional literacy. What I saw unfolding during my research was families connecting with one another and leaning into joy together, while practicing the focus SEL skills each class presented.

I believe SEL work is so important for our communities and for each of us as we move through the world. We all need to have self-awareness, social awareness, self-management skills, responsible decision making skills, and relationship skills. These skills are the pillars of SEL, the focus of my organization and the essential skills we all need as our world becomes more connected and diverse.

Colleen

Board Member

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Hello friends! My name is Colleen and I am an art teacher. I believe that Art is magic. Art is a gift. Art is necessary. Art is therapeutic. Art is an experiment. Art creates awareness and critical change within an individual, a community, and a culture. These are the core ideas that drive my work as an artist and educator. These are the ideas that I will share with each one of my students, no matter the subject, discipline, or skill level. My goal is to foster transformative learning whenever possible, meaning that students leave my courses with an enhanced perspective on art, as well as a deeper awareness of one’s self and the world around them. There are so many ways that Art will enrich our lives, and the lives of others. I am so grateful for the opportunity to share all I have learned and experienced, and look forward to learning from all of you as well!

Here is a bit about me...

After my degrees were completed, I began to teach Photography and Visual Art in a variety of venues, including art leagues and underserved public schools on Chicago's South Side. Meanwhile, my husband and I opened a gallery space for two years, where we worked with commercial clients, independent filmmakers, community groups, college students, and international artists until relocating north of Chicago. This is where I began teaching Commercial Art and Art History at a local community college. Throughout this time, I built a visual art business, which provides creative services such as photography and film to private, non-profit, and commercial clients, most notably, the Illinois Hunger Coalition. I am always producing fine artwork and independent short films… one of which was an official selection of the Brooklyn Film Festival in 2023. I am a board member of the nonprofit, The Yet Mindset, which provides SEL (Social Emotional Learning) services through art and curriculum to Illinois students, faculty, and private organizations. I am also the art teacher to homeschooling students and co-ops for elementary through highschool-aged students. Additionally, I have an ongoing online fundraiser for various children charities through my website.

Sarah 

Board Member

Josh

Board Member