How TGR Foundation Empowered Andrés Cuamani’s Journey
Andrés Cuamani still remembers his first day at the TGR Learning Lab fondly. A 5thgrader at Dr. Peter Marshall Elementary School, Andrés spent a week at the Anaheim-based learning lab studying forensic science with his classmates. From surveying clues at a mock crime scene to studying fingerprinting techniques, Andrés experienced a different kind of learning. But what he really left with was the realization that there were countless opportunities awaiting him.
From 7th– 12thgrade, Andrés was a regular in the building, taking after-school classes from aerospace engineering to golf, and forging lasting, impactful relationships with the teachers. At the age of 16, Andrés became a volunteer at the learning lab and soon after, he became an official employee, landing his first job as a golf range attendant. When he realized his passion for teaching coupled with a desire to lend support to students like himself, Andrés took on an added role in Academic Support, a job he still has today.
Scholar Voices: Creating social change through the lens of theatre
My love for theatre started when I was three or four years old and my godmother took me to see a musical, in my hometown of Boston, MA. I do not remember the name of the show or really what it was about, but I was fascinated by the colors and music. Something about seeing the performers act, sing and dance gave them this magical glow on the stage. My young and impressionable mind had concluded that to be so talented you had to have super abilities, and I knew I would be a part of that magic one day.
Alexis Ohanian joins TGR Foundation Board of Governors
TGR Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of internet entrepreneur and investor, Alexis Ohanian, to the Board of Governors.
Ohanian serves as the co-founder and managing partner of San Francisco-based Initialized Capital, an early stage venture fund with over $500M under management and a portfolio with $36B in market value so far. Prior to his work at Initialized Capital, Ohanian co-founded Reddit, a social news and discussion website.
TGR Learning Lab Student Spotlight: How Mentorship Guided me through College, Career and Life
As a first-generation Mexican American, I felt intimidated and insecure about applying to college. My mom, knowing well that she could not guide us through the U.S. education system, connected my sister and I to programs that could give us the tools to achieve our academic goals. We joined the TGR Learning Lab, then known as the Tiger Woods Learning Center, in 2008.
I didn’t think much of the programs there – I was not necessarily passionate about STEM, but I was motivated to utilize the college preparation resources despite how confusing and overwhelming it all seemed at the time. It wasn’t until my last year at Savanna High School, in 2013, when I started volunteering at the Learning Lab, that I discovered the power of mentorship. Thanks to the unwavering encouragement of two long-time employees of the Learning Lab, Denisse Jover and Lea Segura, I was able to break out of my shell and gain confidence on my way to college.
Scholar Voices: Discovering a New Path to Career Success
Ever since I was a little boy, I loved science. Although I come from a rural, mountainous Chinese village called Qian Yang Cun in Fuzhou, I dreamt of becoming a scientist. I always knew I wanted to use science to help people. As a child, I would collect plants and soil from around the mountain and mix them together to create my own “panaceas,” ready to cure dying plants and insects along my path.
Shaping Our Future with STEM: My International STEM Studio Journey
International STEM Studio is an amazing initiative. I learned about it after the CEO of Soronko Academy, my boss, attended the inaugural training in 2018. She came back with a new perspective on how to teach science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) at the academy and how to organize training of the trainer sessions to enable her to share the knowledge she had gained with others, who trained in different parts of Ghana. When she asked me if I would like to take part in the next cohort of the International STEM Studio, I jumped on board with excitement. I couldn’t wait for the growth in the knowledge I knew the training session would come with. I thought about my students, and I knew this was an opportunity to provide them with better education and guide them toward achieving their goals. On July 25th I embarked on a trip to the flagship TGR Learning Lab in Anaheim, CA sponsored by the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) to participate in International STEM Studio.
TGR Learning Lab shines spotlight on Nadia Chavelas
The TGR Learning Lab expanded learning program fulfills the mission of TGR Foundation by empowering youth through exposure, preparation and skill development for the workforce of tomorrow. With more than 50 courses available for middle and high school students to engage in after school, our mission is brought to life as participants discover their passions […]
How to Build Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Classroom
This summer I had the chance to examine the role of TGR Foundation from a global perspective. It started with a speaking role at Global MindED’s annual convening in Denver, CO where we discussed how organizations reach a diverse population with their work. The latter half of the summer took me to Israel where I examined the complexity of creating a STEM-integrated workforce by better preparing educators to meet the changing world facing their students. And most recently TGR EDU: Global trained more than 50 educators from around the world to transform their teaching through a focus on inquiry and problem-based pedagogy.
Scholar Voices: A portrait of passion, how art inspired my interest in engineering
As a child, I always found myself consumed in art. Every brush stroke required complete concentration, each colored patch demanded a precise amount of pressure. However, contrary to what art means to others, art was never about expressing myself. For me, it was a way to keep myself busy while my parents worked and my sisters were at dance practice. It made me feel like I was somewhere else in the countless hours that I spent locked inside my home and made time fly.
A Booster in STEM Learning and Teaching: My International STEM Studio Experience
I’ve been a teacher of primarily science for a long time, more than 30 years, 19 as an international educator. Currently, I am working as a science teacher in the small Balkan country of Kosovo, but I’ve also lived and taught in eastern Venezuela and southeast China near Hong Kong.
Last spring, I received an e-mail from my current director at the Quality Schools International – International School of Kosovo suggesting I apply to TGR Foundation’s International STEM Studio, a week-long professional learning program bringing educators together from around the world. It looked like a good opportunity because I am very much interested in keeping current in my own education and professional growth. When I was selected to participate, I was very excited.
