Hi, I'm Jenn
I know how challenging it can be to help students prepare for life after high school. My mission is to give educators practical, engaging resources that make college and career readiness meaningful and manageable, especially for first-generation learners and English Learners.
As the eldest daughter of six raised by a single mother, I became the first in my family to attend college. That journey shaped my perspective as an educator and guides how I design lessons that are clear, supportive, and grounded in real student needs.
My experiences have taken me across the globe, from studying in Mexico to teaching at a university in Japan, and broaden how I approach teaching and connect with students. Eventually, I returned home to Hawaiʻi to teach English Learners and AVID students at my high school alma mater, where I continue to focus on academic growth, college readiness, and real-world life skills.
m.ed: educational administration
MA: English as a second language
prof. diploma: secondary ed
ba journalism, spanish minor
Welcome!
Everything I create comes from years of working alongside students who needed school to feel possible, not overwhelming.
As an educator in Hawaiʻi, I’ve worked with middle and high school students navigating language barriers, academic pressure, and uncertainty about what comes after graduation. I’ve taught secondary English, ESL, and AVID, coordinated English Learner programs, and supported students who did not grow up with college and career readiness as part of their everyday world.
Along the way, I’ve written grant proposals to expand opportunities, coordinated international college programs, administered college-level continuing education, organized an AVID class tour of Bay Area colleges, and led English Learners to Washington, D.C. with the Close Up Program. These experiences continue to shape how I design lessons, projects, and service-learning experiences that help students build confidence, purpose, and a clear sense of what’s possible.
If this work resonates with you, feel free to explore my teaching resources and blog.
A Hawai‘i-born-and-raised, small-town girl, mother, culturally-responsive teacher, double master’s holder, and beach-loving globe-trotter.
At the heart of my work is helping students build confidence, recognize their strengths, and move forward with purpose.
daily rituals
Morning coffee & stretching, long walks, check-ins with my young adult sons, positive self-talk, & good skincare.
YOU CAN FIND ME:
Doing community service with my students, standup paddle boarding, hiking, working out, dancing, or binging a Korean drama or interior design show on Netflix.
I'm NOT ABOUT:
Xenophobia, judging students by their dialect, no second chances, hustle culture, long lectures, or standardized testing.
I BELIEVE IN:
Taking risks, second chances, teacher unions, self-care, words of encouragement, empathy, differentiation, critical pedagogy, social justice, & inclusive, anti-racist, & equitable teaching.
Jenn
watching:
DRINKING:
READING:
CRAVING:
Chef's Table,
Korean Dramas
coffee, espresso, or red wine
memoirs
All seafood, Italian, Hawaiian, & Japanese; I love a good BBQ!
Currently
listening:
Lizzo, Jawaiian, Salsa, Bad Bunny, 80s pop/rock
My Favorite Things
Traveling!
(14 countries so far!)
my happy place!
Being on the water.
Beach walks
My Favorite Things
Sunshine. Wayfarers kickstarter semiotics, quinoa godard dreamcatcher hexagon pop-up hoodie.
my guilty pleasure
view more >
Ice cream. Microdosing gochujang keffiyeh salvia. Hoodie knausgaard art party.
Photos! Hashtag fashion axe palo santo fanny pack, ramps cornhole messenger bag asymmetrical direct trade slow-carb everyday carry chartreuse tofu godard.
This That
coffee
BEACH
heels
Vegas
ANTHROPOLOGIE
white wine
Cold weather
or
TEA
mountains
comfort shoes
foreign country
J-CREW
red wine
warm weather
Where I stand on the super important stuff... Agree / disagree?
“Holy smokes this PowerPoint is amazing! She built in AVID strategies and made the explanation of note taking much simpler and interactive. This is a fantastic resource and highly recommended to new to AVID teachers (like myself) to best understand focused note taking. ”
so they say:
Four Essential Components of College & Career Readiness:
A Roadmap for Grades 9–12
College & Career Readiness Planning Guide for High School Classrooms
Better than Free Donuts!
i'm just an email away!
Did we just become teacher besties?
If you don't find what you need or have any questions, please let me know!
