Graduate Spotlight
TLC Chula Vista Student Becomes First Early Graduate Accepted Directly to a Four-Year University
Itzel Nevarez is making TLC history. Currently an 11th grade student at TLC Chula Vista, Itzel has become the school’s first early graduate to be accepted directly into a four-year university immediately following high school. After completing four years of math and science coursework, along with several college classes during just three years of high school, Itzel was accepted to San Diego State University and admitted into the university’s Weber Honors College. She plans to major in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences while also pursuing bilingual certification. For Itzel, the achievement represents years of dedication, determination, and belief in herself.
“I knew I wanted to do this since 9th grade,” she shared. “However, I met opposition and discouragement from some saying a university wouldn’t accept an early graduate so soon. Still, I was determined to prove others wrong — and I successfully did.”
Itzel says one of the highlights of her senior year was learning from her school counselor, Ms. Barrett, that she had become the first TLC early graduate to continue directly to a four-year university. Another meaningful experience has been serving as an active member of the Student Leadership Council and contributing to events and activities around campus. Throughout her years at TLC, Itzel has consistently gone above and beyond both academically and as a leader. Last year, she launched TLC’s first-ever 5K Run event, which saw strong participation from the school community. Earlier this month, TLC Chula Vista held its second annual 5K, once again drawing strong participation and demonstrating the lasting impact of Itzel’s initiative. In addition to her high school coursework, Itzel participated in dual enrollment classes through Southwestern College, where she discovered a passion for learning French. What began as an academic opportunity grew into a personal interest, and she now expects to earn an associate degree in French following the summer term. Outside of academics, Itzel enjoys art, calligraphy, drawing, and ballet. She has studied ballet for seven years, completed pointe work, earned an RAD Ballet Level 5 certification, and volunteered as a teaching assistant for younger dance students. Looking ahead, Itzel hopes to work in schools or hospitals in bilingual English- and Spanish-speaking settings, helping children strengthen their communication skills and academic development. Reflecting on her journey, Itzel expressed deep gratitude for the people who supported her along the way, especially her family, teachers, and counselors.
“I am eternally grateful to my mom and dad for being my closest and greatest supporters,” she shared. “They trusted in my abilities, gave me comfort and advice, and guided me with their love.”
She also thanked Mr. McCann and Ms. Barrett for their encouragement and guidance throughout her high school years. For younger students, Itzel offers this advice:
“Don’t be afraid of new experiences because you’ll never know how it’ll go or what you can learn if you don’t try. Be curious and make the most of your academics. Your only barrier is fear, so always trust yourself.”
Congratulations to Itzel on this remarkable accomplishment and for paving the way for future TLC students pursuing ambitious goals.
Growing & Learning in the Garden at TLC Chula Vista
At TLC Chula Vista, learning is blooming both inside and outside the classroom for our TK students. Through a hands-on garden project and a collaborative Earth Day activity, students are discovering the importance of nature, responsibility, and caring for the world around them. The garden unit began when Nutrition Services Manager Cathy Kniss visited the class to teach students about plants and how certain crops grow well together. After learning about gardening, students eagerly began planting tomatoes, pumpkins, watermelon, and raspberries — all chosen by the students themselves because they wanted to grow foods they would enjoy eating. According to TK teacher Amaris Ward, the project connected naturally to classroom conversations about food and where it comes from.
“We had recently touched on the topic of ‘What foods do we like and where do they come from?’” Ms. Ward explained. “That sparked curiosity about how food grows and what plants need to survive. When students were offered the opportunity to grow their own food, they were so excited to be part of discovering those answers.”
Students have embraced the responsibility of caring for the garden with enthusiasm. Each child selected what they wanted to plant and now helps water and monitor the garden through a rotating classroom schedule.
“Every morning when they come into the classroom they ask me, ‘Ms. Ward, who is watering the garden today?’” she shared. “They are so proud of their garden.”
Already, students are excitedly noticing changes in the plants’ growth from week to week and sharing their observations with classmates and parents at pickup time. Beyond gardening, students are building important academic and life skills. Through science, students are learning about plant life cycles and what plants need to grow. Math skills are practiced through counting seeds and observing patterns, while literacy skills develop through learning gardening vocabulary and following instructions. This hands-on learning experience also teaches valuable life lessons, including responsibility, patience, teamwork, problem-solving, and nutrition awareness. Students are strengthening fine motor and sensory skills as they plant seeds, touch soil, smell plants, and observe colors and textures in nature. The TK class also recently partnered with a 5th-grade class for a special Earth Day collaboration. Organized by Ms. Malloian’s 5th-grade class, students participated in an Earth Day scavenger hunt at the park, pairing each TK student with a 5th-grade buddy. Together, they searched for items in nature and collected materials for an Earth Day craft. Ms. Ward described the event as a joyful example of collaboration and mentorship between students of different ages.
“You could see that the 5th graders took this activity with a lot of pride in being responsible, and the littles were able to work alongside and follow their lead,” she said. “It was a beautiful collaboration.”
For Ms. Ward, both the garden project and the Earth Day activity share an important purpose: helping students understand that everyone has a role in caring for the Earth.
“It teaches them that part of being a citizen of this world is to actively care for it,” she explained. “Even though they may be little, they can still do so much for our environment.”
Looking ahead, Ms. Ward hopes to continue expanding the garden into a larger outdoor learning space featuring fruits, vegetables, flowers, composting, and even fruit trees. Most of all, she is excited for students to experience the reward of harvesting the foods they planted themselves. “I’m looking forward to seeing the faces of all our students when they see all our plants fully blossom into ripe fruits ready for pickin’ and eatin’!” she shared. Through these hands-on experiences, TLC students are not only learning academic concepts — they are building curiosity, confidence, responsibility, and a lifelong connection to the natural world.
Building Leaders and School Spirit at TLC La Mesa
This year marked an exciting milestone at TLC La Mesa with the revival of the Student Leadership Council (SLC), giving students new opportunities to build leadership skills, strengthen school spirit, and make a meaningful impact on campus culture. Led by teacher Ali Lipinski, the La Mesa SLC was created with the goal of giving students a stronger voice in school activities while helping them develop valuable leadership and professional skills. Throughout the year, students took an active role in planning events, promoting campus engagement, and creating a more connected school community. The La Mesa SLC exists alongside SLC groups at Chula Vista and San Diego. By the end of the year, the La Mesa SLC included 12 dedicated students representing grades 9–11. Students participated through an application and teacher recommendation process, while committee heads also completed interviews to gain additional experience in leadership and professionalism. Over the course of the year, SLC members organized several successful projects and events. Among the group’s accomplishments were a canned food drive, a highly successful Socktober sock drive, revamped Star Jaguar assemblies, social media outreach through the SLC Instagram account, and smaller campus projects such as creating a handprint poster featuring 11th graders and seniors. One of the year’s biggest highlights was the Socktober drive, during which students collected more than 2,500 pairs of socks for donation to a local clothing shelter. The drive quickly turned into a friendly competition between grade levels, with strong participation and enthusiasm from both students and families. SLC members also played a major role in increasing excitement around campus activities and Spirit Days. During Star Jaguar assemblies, students organized interactive games, competitions, snacks, and prize opportunities that helped create a more positive and engaging environment for students. According to Ms. Lipinski, student involvement in promoting activities led to noticeably higher participation and enthusiasm throughout the year.
“Having students directly involved in promoting activities has helped increase awareness and participation across campus,” Ms. Lipinski shared. “Students were enthusiastic about having a greater voice in school activities and culture.”
Students also had opportunities to collaborate with SLC groups from other TLC campuses during three collaboration days focused on planning larger events and exchanging ideas. Through these experiences, students developed skills in event planning, fundraising, marketing, public speaking, peer communication, and collaborative problem-solving. One example of student initiative included connecting with the coordinator of the Water Conservation Garden, where this year’s prom will be held. Ms. Lipinski noted that while balancing responsibilities could sometimes be challenging, students remained committed to their roles and contributed positively throughout the year. The success of this year’s program has created excitement for the future. Next year, TLC La Mesa plans to expand Leadership into an official class, allowing students additional time to strengthen leadership skills and dedicate more time to planning events and activities for the school community.
“I am excited to offer Leadership as a class next year because it will provide students with additional time to develop leadership skills and apply those skills within the school community,” Ms. Lipinski said.
Looking ahead, TLC La Mesa hopes to continue empowering students to take an active role in shaping campus culture while establishing annual traditions that strengthen school spirit and foster a sense of pride and connection throughout the school community.
Butterflies Take Flight at The Learning Choice Academy
Students in Mrs. Fetty’s Kindergarten class at The Learning Choice Academy La Mesa recently experienced science in a truly unforgettable way through a hands-on butterfly life cycle project. Over the past several weeks, students observed real caterpillars grow, form chrysalises, and transform into butterflies right inside their classroom before celebrating the culmination of their learning with a butterfly release on campus. Mrs. Fetty introduced the project to help students experience science through observation, curiosity, and discovery.
“Watching the butterfly life cycle happen right in front of them creates excitement, curiosity, and wonder that is hard to replicate through books or videos alone,” she shared.
Throughout the project, students explored each stage of the butterfly life cycle — egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly — while learning about growth, change, and the needs of living things. The experience sparked excitement each day as students eagerly checked on the caterpillars and documented the changes they observed. Some of the most memorable moments for students included seeing how quickly the caterpillars grew and watching the chrysalises begin to move. The excitement continued as the butterflies emerged and spread their wings for the first time. The butterfly release became one of the most memorable parts of the entire project for the students. This year, the class released three butterflies as part of the project. Mrs. Fetty’s class also invited the TK class to watch the release, giving students from both classes the opportunity to observe the butterflies’ first flight. As the butterflies flew away, many students cheered and waved goodbye, excitedly calling out, “Bye!” as they watched them take their first flight. The release sparked meaningful conversations about nature, caring for living things, and appreciating the beauty of the butterfly life cycle. It also gave students the opportunity to witness firsthand the final stage of the transformation they had spent weeks observing and caring for in the classroom. The project connected learning across multiple subjects. In addition to science, students practiced writing by journaling observations, reading informational texts, participating in classroom discussions, and creating butterfly-themed artwork. Their classroom now features life cycle diagrams, directed drawings, crafts, and writing pieces that showcase everything they learned throughout the project. Hands-on learning opportunities like this help students build observation, sequencing, prediction, listening, speaking, and scientific inquiry skills while fostering a deeper understanding of the world around them. Students also learned responsibility by helping care for the caterpillars and butterflies throughout the process. For Mrs. Fetty, the most rewarding part of the project has been watching students become emotionally connected to the experience.
“Seeing their excitement, curiosity, and pride in their learning makes this project special every single year,” she said.
Through this memorable classroom experience, students not only learned about life cycles — they also developed a lasting appreciation for nature, science, and the joy of discovery. Watching students connect so deeply with something they observed and cared for in the classroom made the butterfly release a meaningful and rewarding celebration of learning for everyone involved.
Families Together: A Year of Connection and Community
In the first newsletter of this school year we shared information about a new parent-led initiative at our San Diego school site – Families Together. This group was launched by two parents, Gracie Modica and Ivy Bogdon, and was designed to nurture connection and belonging at TLC San Diego. As their first full school year comes to a close, Gracie and Ivy wrote the following reflection about the first year of Families Together and the impact created: Families Together is wrapping up its inaugural year at the San Diego site, and what a meaningful beginning it has been. What started as two parents with a simple mission — to build a stronger, more connected school community — has grown into a true movement. Throughout the year, we’ve watched student relationships blossom in beautiful and unexpected ways. We’ve seen students who began the year shy and reserved become noticeably more confident and outgoing. These moments of growth remind us that community is not just something we talk about — it’s something our children feel. Families Together has also strengthened the connection between families and the incredible TLC staff who support our students every day. We are deeply grateful for the teachers and staff who attended events during their off‑hours, shared their time and expertise, and helped create spaces where families and educators could come together as partners. This year has taken effort, coordination, and heart — but the benefits are clear. We’ve built a foundation of trust, belonging, and shared purpose that will continue to grow in the years ahead. As we wrap up this school year, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to every family who showed up, pitched in, asked questions, shared ideas, and helped make this first year of Families Together something truly special. Your presence and participation have shaped a community where students feel supported, families feel connected, and staff feel appreciated. We look forward to building on this momentum next year — continuing to create spaces where relationships can flourish and where every member of our community feels they belong. Thank you for being part of this beginning. We can’t wait to see where we grow from here.
TLC Senior Publishes First Novel
At just 12th grade, TLC San Diego student Bella-Lucia Baker has already accomplished something many aspiring writers dream of — publishing her first novel. Bella-Lucia recently released To Forge a Fate, the first book in what she plans to be an ongoing fantasy series inspired by her love of storytelling, Greek mythology, and popular series such as Percy Jackson & the Olympians and Keeper of the Lost Cities. The novel introduces readers to a world shaped by ten powerful Elements — immortal beings known as Light, Darkness, Technology, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Flesh, Emotion, and Mind — and a prophecy centered around a determined young girl whose presence may change everything. Bella-Lucia shared that storytelling has been part of her life for years. She first began developing the idea for the book in middle school before reimagining it into an original world and story of her own creation. While she spent years building the universe in her imagination, she completed much of the writing during her junior year at TLC.
“Once I found the ability to write just what I love, and not what I think others would like, then it became my treasured passion,” she explained.
In addition to writing the novel, Bella-Lucia also illustrated the book’s cover herself, combining her artistic and creative talents into the final published work. With guidance from a family friend, she used IngramSpark to publish her book, which is now available through retailers including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Bella-Lucia credits her experience at TLC with helping shape the characters and perspectives within her writing.
“It was from the different people I met and their stories that I learned about the vast variations of each person around me,” she shared. “How beautiful it is that every person is so incredibly unique and inspiring.”
Now officially a published author, Bella-Lucia says the experience feels surreal and deeply meaningful. And she is far from finished — she already has additional short stories in progress and plans to continue writing well into the future. Her advice to other aspiring student authors?
“Just write it. Whether it’s a crazy idea or off-placed comment. Put it on the page. Once you have actual words, then they can grow into whatever you want.”
Congratulations to Bella-Lucia on this incredible achievement!
Thank you,
Cathy, Ana & Rhonda
As this school year comes to a close, we would like to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the incredible staff members retiring from The Learning Choice Academy this year: Cathy Kniss, Ana Knudsen, and Rhonda Wixom. Throughout their years at TLC, they have demonstrated remarkable passion, dedication, and commitment to our students, families, and staff. Their contributions have helped shape TLC into the supportive and inspiring community it is today. Each of these extraordinary educators and leaders embodied the heart of the TLC mission through their unwavering support of students and families. They continually advocated for student success and built meaningful relationships that helped students feel encouraged, supported, and valued throughout their educational journey. Parents knew they could come to them at any time for guidance, encouragement, counsel, and support, and each made it a priority to ensure every parent’s voice was heard. As they begin a new chapter, we hope they carry with them the knowledge that they have made a lasting impact on countless students, families, and colleagues. Their legacy of compassion, service, and dedication will continue to influence our school community for years to come. They will be deeply missed, and we are grateful for all they have given to TLC.
Cathy Kniss
Since joining The Learning Choice Academy on July 1, 2004, Cathy Kniss has been a foundational part of the TLC family, helping shape the school’s growth, culture, and community over the past 22 years.
Throughout her time at TLC, Cathy has served in countless roles — including teacher, Educational Partner, School Site Administrator for La Mesa, National School Lunch Program Coordinator, Nutrition Services Manager, and Board Member — always leading with heart, dedication, and a spirit of service.
As one of TLC’s founding staff members, she helped build the school from the ground up, leaving a lasting impact in every area she touched. Her leadership in developing the nutrition program was transformative, from establishing systems and partnerships to creating a warm, welcoming environment for students and staff alike. Cathy also played an important role in building internship opportunities, strengthening community connections, and nurturing TLC’s school garden efforts, reflecting her lifelong passion for growth and care. Much like a gardener tending to plants, Cathy has spent years supporting and nurturing students, families, teachers, and colleagues, always finding joy in seeing others thrive. Beyond her many accomplishments, she is remembered for her infectious positivity, kindness, humor, and ability to make everyone around her feel like family. Whether traveling with colleagues, mentoring staff, or simply brightening someone’s day with laughter, Cathy has made TLC a better and more joyful place. Her legacy of compassion, leadership, and community will continue to flourish long after her retirement, and she will be deeply missed by all who have had the privilege of working alongside her.
Ana Knudsen
Since joining The Learning Choice Academy in August 2011, Ana Knudsen has left an extraordinary mark on the TLC community through her dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to students and staff. Serving over the years as a teacher, Educational Partner, and School Site Administrator for the Chula Vista campus.
Ana has been a driving force behind the growth and success of TLC Chula Vista. Known for her passion for academic excellence and her fierce advocacy for teachers and students alike, she helped shape the school’s culture of collaboration, shared vision, and student-centered instruction. Her leadership played a vital role in developing the high school program, strengthening data-driven instruction, and mentoring countless teachers and students, especially through her impactful work in Language Arts and English Learner support.
Ana’s dedication and support helped make TLC a place where staff and students could truly work, learn, and grow together. While she was always focused and driven in her work, she also knew how to bring joy to those around her — making time to laugh, dance, and create lasting memories with colleagues and students alike. Many will fondly remember her signature phrase, “Are you kidding me?” and the humor and warmth she brought to everyday moments.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Ana brought connection and energy to the community through her creativity and memorable staff videos filled with music and dance. To so many, Ana has been more than a colleague — she has been a mentor, friend, and source of inspiration. Her legacy will continue to be felt throughout TLC for years to come, and she will be deeply missed as she begins this well-deserved new chapter in retirement.
Rhonda Wixom
Since joining The Learning Choice Academy on April 25, 2007, Rhonda Wixom has made a lasting impact on countless students and families through her passion for science education, unwavering high expectations, and deep commitment to student success. Serving as both a teacher and Educational Partner at TLC Chula Vista, as well as briefly at the Temecula campus, Rhonda became known for inspiring students to believe that “failure is not an option.” Her influence within TLC’s high school program has been extraordinary, particularly in the area of Science, where she helped build the strong academic reputation the program holds today. Rhonda played a key role in developing UC-approved college courses, shaping science labs and instruction, and creating engaging Google Classrooms that connected learning to real-world application. More importantly, she fostered meaningful relationships with students, many of whom still stay in touch and credit her for preparing them for college and inspiring their future careers, especially in STEM fields. She will also be remembered for the thoughtful advice she generously shared over the years, including memorable words such as, “Make all reversible decisions immediately.” Alongside her dedication and wisdom, Rhonda brought fun and laughter to the TLC community — such as unforgettable memories of participating together in the Santa Run dressed as Santa Claus. Her dedication, honesty, integrity, and willingness to always advocate for improvement have strengthened TLC in countless ways over the years. Beyond the classroom, Rhonda brought warmth, humor, and care to the community, sharing her love for family, sailing adventures, and life’s simple joys with those around her. Her legacy will continue through the many students she encouraged to dream bigger, work harder, and believe in themselves. Rhonda will be deeply missed, and TLC is forever grateful for the passion and excellence she brought to the school community for nearly two decades.
STAR Student Recognitions
TLC recognizes STAR students each month based on a determined character trait. Students are nominated by their Educational Partners and School Site Administrators. Congratulations to this quarter's STAR students!
April: Trustworthiness
Valerie Delgadillo Avi Goldkamp Adriel Gonzalez Trent Kammerer Cole Kammerer Gianna Marin Skylah Nealey Jenessa Nealey Abigail Ramirez Garcia Ava Ramos Zeke Ramos Jasmine Redondo Carlos Rivera Eadric Rodriguez Ryan Stewart Tessa Suesue Agnes Taylor Danira Valdez Irma Vazquez
May: Perseverance
Urijah Abel Ellura Alexander Alan Alvarado Martinez Rocky Alvarez Irina Andronova Emily Benitez Liam Bivens Keyani Bright Maliyah Broy Pepper Camat Isaiah Campos-Grengs Israel Castañeda Damir Castaneda Abby Cifuentez Morales Alexandra Cozliuc Miranda Delgadillo Aaron Duran Micah Elie King English-Williams Ailyn Escopedo- Crespo Camila Fierro Isaac Franco Jacob Galicia Nico Garcia Madelynn Gray Sean Hall Eloise Hamilton La'Niya Harris May Hernandez Adrian Jenkins Leiah Jones Farah Kadom Aisha Khan Alice Lampkin Donovan Mayorga Haillie Meier Steven Moll Dakota Nealey Penelope Ortega Luke Perdue Celina Ramirez-Verdugo David Ramirez-Verdugo Eli Ramos Melanie Ramos Mendez Amariz Rangel Yisrael Rivera Isabella Romero Mac Ross Isaiah Saldarriaga Luciano Silva Kensington Sok Matilda Taylor Mariana Trujano De Los Santos Immanuel Vasquez Liliana Venegas Armando Venegas Varvara Voloshchenko Shane Walton Ari'Anna Walton Caleb Warner