HANDICRAFTS - Kendra has a passion for the power of playful and creative learning modalities. She is one who finds joy in both the study and practical support of human development, especially with children and families. Alongside her BA in Child Development, she has over 15 years experience working with children ages birth to 12 years old in the United States and internationally, in private, public, church, and college settings. She has worked afterschool programs, as a children’s program specialist, a mentor preschool teacher, and has spent recent years facilitating and co-collaborating within a Nature and Art community. As one who has seen the multifaceted benefits of small educational communities, she is excited to give and grow along side Pippin Grove community. Kendra and husband Bryan are a homeschooling family with four beautiful children, a corgi and a handful of backyard chickens.

SCIENCE - I recently moved to the area from Southern Ca, where I was born and raised. My teaching journey began early in my church’s children’s program and private school. In college, I worked as a math tutor, led a math lab and graduated magna cum laude from California State University, Northridge, with a BA in teaching and art. My delight in science was evident at age 8 when I asked for a microscope for Christmas. That interest, years later, led to using microscopic and telescopic images in my senior year painting projects, displaying beauty from destruction. I now homeschool my 9-year-old daughter on our family farm where we enjoy the many blessings of our chickens, ducks, goats and the local natural beauty.

ART - Katie was born in Chico and spent most of her childhood growing up as a homeschooled farm kid on her parent's pumpkin patch in Durham.  She has always loved art and began art lessons at an early age, focusing primarily on watercolor.  Katie has spent the last decade or so homeschooling her three kids, and working as a family photographer and music teacher.  She is so excited to be exploring and creating art with her classes as they learn about ancient art throughout the school year.

SCIENCE - I’m a 12th-grade student at CORE Butte High School with a strong passion for science and working with kids! I’ve helped out as a classroom aide at Pippin Grove over the past few years, and I’m super excited to be teaching this year. I’ve taken all kinds of science classes in high school and plan to pursue a career in STEM after graduation. I love sharing the wonders of Creation with kids in fun ways that spark curiosity and wonder. Whether it’s the human body, weather, or the laws of physics, I’m fascinated by how the world works, and I can’t wait to explore it through activities and experiments this year!

GAMES - Jana is a mama of five - a college student, two high schoolers, and twin middle schoolers. She has been homeschooling in some form for the past 15 years. Since receiving her teaching credential from Chico State, she has gathered 25 years of experience as a Preschool and Kindergarten Teacher in both public and private schools in California, Panama, Colombia, and back again. After experiencing life in Latin America for 17 years and learning Spanish the hard way, she founded Spanglish Schoolhouse to help bilingual homeschool families teach their children with less stress and more joy. Jana believes in creating a learning environment where children feel encouraged and inspired. Her teaching approach blends playful, hands-on activities with a focus on family traditions and cultural enrichment, which makes working with the Pippin Grove community a perfect fit! 

GAMES - After high school I moved from Orange County to Chico to attend college.  I received a degree in Recreation Administration and loved leading outdoor trips for Adventure Outings. Next, I returned and completed the teacher credential program and began a career in elementary teaching that lasted 22 years.  I currently work as the Children's and Youth Ministry director at Firm Family Church.  I love to facilitate recreational programs that build up friendships and promote good character.  While teaching, I also completed my credential to teach Physical Education, and I love to promote healthy and active lifestyles! 

HANDICRAFTS - I graduated from Chico State in 2000.  My husband received his PhD in Education in 2004.  When our first son was born in 2004 I fell in love with being a mom and it turned my world right side up as I began my adventure as a stay-at-home mom. A couple of states later and adding two more boys we settled in Chico near my husband's family farm in 2008. I began homeschooling my oldest when he was in kinder with the intention of it being temporary. As I told my husband, "Let's try it and if I screw up no one will every know by the time he's in college". However, I fell in love a second time with what homeschooling had to offer my sons and our family. I have lead and taught a couple of local homeschool co-ops since 2013 to present where I can live out some of my favorite things: bringing people together, creating, teaching and having an adventure.  I love to learn new things, and I love giving kids an experience and taking them on an adventure right in their own backyard.