At Aventuras we are true believers...
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We believe that all children should have fun, be inspired and engaged while learning.
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We believe that all children should be treated with respect, be given opportunities to play, explore and experiment, make mistakes and learn from them, and discover who they are and what they’re capable of, without being judged.
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We believe that all children deserve access to spaces where they can develop healthy, creative, confident, and kind minds and bodies, so that they can reach their full potential, succeed and be happy.
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We believe that parents and teachers need to be partners, working together towards the common goal of providing children with unconditional guidance, love and care.
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We believe that learning a second language, and the culture associated with it, gives children a competitive advantage and helps them grow into more tolerant and respectful global citizens.
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We believe that all of us have the responsibility to take care of our planet, and teach others to take care of it as well.
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We believe in the power of strong, supporting communities.
-- Si, yo también lo creo!
The "A" Team
Carolina Ramírez
Founder/Executive Director
Bilingual Teacher
Carolina has a bachelor's degree in Industrial Design, and 20+ years of experience in Product Design, Graphics, Marketing + Communications, and Strategy. She has worked for small and large corporations, and non-profit organizations, both as an employee and as an independent contractor.
In the last few years Carolina shifted her focus to the education sector and has dedicated her time to studying Early Childhood Education, Yoga and Mindfulness for kids, and Business Administration. In 2017, along with a small team of parents, she opened a Spanish Immersion Montessori Preschool, currently serving children in Diamond Heights. She has hundreds of hours of experience in the elementary school setting as volunteer teacher assistant, as well as a Spanish tutor for kids and adults.
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Carolina is a native and proud Colombian who moved to San Francisco nineteen years ago looking for new adventures and opportunities. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family, practicing yoga, playing soccer and tennis, designing stuff, listening and dancing to music, dreaming, believing, and exploring the world.
Marcela has a bachelor's degree in Visual Arts with emphasis in painting and sculpture. She deepened her knowledge in sculpture in Brazil and then she relocated to Paris to closely study masterpieces in museums and art history. She also studied theater. Marcela is a native Spanish speaker who comes from Colombia.
Marcela has taught art for more than ten years. She believes in the power of art and languages to foster creativity and autonomy, and to inspire transformative ideas to create together a better world.
She enjoys chocolate ice cream, hikes, and likes to dance salsa.
Marcela Certuche
Program Manager/Partner
Bilingual Teacher
Crsitina Barroso
Operations Manager
Bilingual Teacher
Born in South San Francisco to Mexican immigrant parents who arrived in the 1960s, Cristina's journey in education reflects her roots and aspirations.
After relocating to Southern California, Cristina's passion for nurturing young minds began to take shape. Cristina embarked on her path as a compassionate teacher assistant to students with social emotional needs, creating safe spaces for them to thrive. She continued her career in leadership childcare positions. As an assistant director at Kindercare, she played an instrumental role in shaping early childhood experiences and after shcool programs on a broader scale. A few yearsv later, her innovative spirit saw her at the helm of "Right at School," an after-school program where she empowered students beyond the classroom by working with teachers and parents to create community.
Having returned to her roots in San Francisco, Cristina's story has come full circle joining us at Aventuras. Her journey embodies the profound influence of an educator dedicated to shaping the holistic development of every child, leaving an indelible mark on young hearts and minds.
Monica Escudero
Bilingual Teacher
Monica has a degree in Political Science. She began her career as a middle school teacher through Teach for Colombia program. After that, Monica worked at the Colombian Ministry of Education. She led community partnerships, strategies, and operations to help curriculum design improve educational quality in schools.
As an art enthusiast, she believes that art is a tool to express, explore, appreciate, create and build that plays an essential role in child development. Monica has also worked as a freelancer in the hospitality sector.
Monica enjoys reading, watching historical series, trying new pancake recipes, and hiking.
Dante has a psychology degree, and training in gender studies, body and art therapy. He has experience in Learning and Play pedagogics, and teaching Circus for kids. He is originally from Chile, with more than 5 years of experience as a psychologist and circus artist.
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“I believe Circus Arts and most artistic expressions give back to the adult the possibility to reconnect as a child and to the child to connect with themselves. There is no better way to learn about oneself and the world than when it is done from the body, the senses, games and creativity”.