For ten years, I devoted my life to teaching. I loved my students, believed in them deeply, and felt proud to play a part in shaping their futures. But somewhere along the way, something changed. The classroom didn’t feel the same anymore.

I began to notice how disconnected school had become from real life. My students were bright and capable, yet so many struggled with confidence, emotional regulation, and basic life skills. They could navigate a Chromebook with ease but often didn’t know how to handle life beyond the screen. They knew how to take a test—but not how to take care of themselves.

The moment that changed everything came on my wedding day.

My grandmother stood behind me, carefully hemming my wedding dress—the same hands that had once planted gardens, baked bread from scratch, and sewn costumes for her kids and grandchildren. I watched her work and thought to myself, I don’t know how to do this. I wouldn’t even know where to start.

My grandmother is the kind of woman who can do anything. She grows her own food, preserves it, and turns it into soups, sauces, and jams that feeds our family for months. She sews, she cooks, she budgets, she builds. She lives a life of resourcefulness, independence, and quiet strength.

When I asked her how she learned it all, she smiled and said, “My mother taught me—but also in school. We learned the basics of life.”

That answer stopped me. Because I hadn’t learned those things in school—and neither were my students.

I remembered teaching a third grader how to tie their shoes. I thought about students who didn’t know how to pack their lunches, budget their allowance, or calm themselves down when frustration hit. They could code, type, and scroll—but when it came to life’s everyday challenges, they often froze.

That was the moment I knew something had to change.

Our education system has done a good job of teaching children what to think—but somewhere along the way, we forgot to teach them how to live.

So I decided to create something different.

Foundations Prep Academy was born from the belief that education should prepare children for life—not just for exams. Here, learning is hands-on, meaningful, and connected to the real world. Students learn how to think critically, manage emotions, cook, garden, budget, create, and contribute. They gain not only knowledge, but wisdom, independence, and confidence.

At Foundations Prep Academy, we’re bringing heart back into education. We’re raising capable, compassionate, and resilient thinkers who are ready for whatever the world throws their way.