ABOUT US
Celebrating our 43rd year in 2026
Project Think is a non-profit organization committed to supporting and enriching the lives of children in the surrounding communities through excellence in education.
Project THINK was founded in 1980 by master educators Kay Conley, MS, and Susan Warren, Ph.D. with the goal of academically motivating students. Ms. Conley retired in 2015, but Dr. Warren still has direct involvement and participation in all aspects of the program. She has over 40 years of experience as a teacher and administrator at the TK-12 and university levels and understands the importance education has on helping all children reach their full potential.
Included in the mission of Project Think is the goal of preparing students for the school year ahead, excelling them beyond their grade level, and motivating them to love learning. Dr. Warren believes in offering the best education to students by providing credentialed teachers who are hand selected based on their experience, expertise, accomplishments, and ability to engage all learners through exceptional classroom curriculum and instruction.
About Project Think
Project Think Rocks!
But don't just take our word for it...
Students Love
Project Think
"The teachers and staff are really nice. I've learned a lot of new things at Project Think, especially in the computer, drama, art and language arts classes. I also love the mystery animal of the week!"
- Lena Shapiro, 5th Grade
- Lena Shapiro, 5th Grade
Dr. Susan Warren
Project Think Co-Founder and Director
Developing, inspiring, teaching, and directing children and educational research, curriculum and courses for over
40 years.
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Served 22 years as a K-8 teacher, mentor teacher, and principal in 3 Southern California districts
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Developed MA programs in Education and taught MA & Doctoral Courses 17 years at Claremont Graduate University (CGU) and Azusa Pacific University
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Trained school administrators and provided science professional development to schools in two state programs
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Served as a senior research associate at CGU evaluating education programs in TK-12 and higher education institutions
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Selected in 2024 as Representative Judy Chu’s Woman of the Year representing Claremont & Upland and Pitzer College Distinguished Alumni of the Year for her community service, including her volunteer work with Project Think
Meet The Master Educators
Project Think is proud of its highly qualified teachers, administrators, and support staff who are not only content experts but understand how to engage and excite all children. The program is supervised by a diverse staff comprised of teachers and administrators with advanced degrees and/or credentials from the State of California, trained and experienced instructional assistants, friendly office staff, and gifted high school volunteers. All employees are screened and undergo a background check as part of the selection process.
Laura Miller
Assistant Director
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Over 10 years experience in general and special education classrooms: transitional kindergarten - 12th grade
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Bachelors in Multiple Subject Education and Master’s in Education
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6 years as Project Think’s Assistant Director, Lead Science Teacher, Visual and Performing Arts and Childcare Coordinator
Zoraida Torres
Spanish Curriculum Advisor
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Taught Elementary, Middle School, High School and College since 1998:
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General Education, Spanish Language and Culture, English as a Second Language.
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Master teacher, Spanish and Young Thinkers classes, at Project Think for 10 years.
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Single Subject Credential/ Spanish Language and Culture/ ESL and M.A in Education
Yash Gupta
Technology Consultant
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Extensive experience teaching children web design, video editing, special effects, programming, 3D printing, and photography at Project Think, Be a Maker Club, and ID Tech camps
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Over a decade in the tech world in User Experience Design
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BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design
Amber Chhabra
Young Thinkers
Teacher
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10+ years of experience in education & 4th year with Project Think
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English Learner Facilitator & Certified Braille Transcriber
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M.Ed. and Education Specialist Teaching Credential; B.A. in English, Minor in Spanish, Summa Cum Laude; Doctoral Student, Educational Leadership, University of La Verne
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2023 Riverside County SELPA Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Award Recipient & 2024–2025, Alvord Unified School District Teacher of the Year Award
Lisette Lupian
Young Thinkers 1st Grade Teacher
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Experience teaching in elementary and secondary classrooms
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Behavior interventionist for students with special needs
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BA in Liberal Studies & pursuing MA in Multiple Subject Education and Special Education
Breanna Bailey
Young Thinkers Music & Movement Instructor & Swim Coordinator
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Swim, Childcare, and Office Coordinator for 3 years at Project Think
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Currently works at an elementary school grades K-4 supporting literacy
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BA in Psychology & pursuing an MS in Counseling
Marlene Cuevas
Advanced Thinker Maker Space Teacher
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Experience in education for 15 years in general and special education classrooms
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Taught 4th - 6th grades
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BA in Psychology, MA in Education, and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential
Maria Corona
PM Spanish Teacher
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High School Teacher with 15 years of experience
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Native Spanish speaker
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Teaching credential & MA in Education from Claremont Graduate University
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BA in French Studies and Mathematics from Scripps College
Miriah Henderson
HR Coordinator & Assistant Office Manager
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Bachelor of Arts-Liberal Studies, California Baptist University
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Master's in Education: Learning and Teaching from the University of Redlands
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4 years of administrative assistant work
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11 years in K-12 education
MaLaun “Launnie” Phillips
Office & Volunteer Coordinator
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School Psychologist with experience in TK-post secondary general and special education supports and programs
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BA in Psychology, minor in Hispanic Studies & MS in School Psychology with PPS and Child Welfare & Attendance (CWA) credentials
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Over 5 years of administrative experience in educational environments
Darren Alcala
Technology/Makerspace Advisor
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Taught elementary over 15 years, Leads Technology at his district as a coach, Selected as Teacher of the Year twice, instructed computer & makerspace classes at Project THINK over 10 years
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Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, Administrative Credential, MA in Education, Selected 2 years as Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert
Lynne Stapenhill
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10 years working as an instructional aide in various grade levels and programs for Cucamonga school District and Etiwanda school district.
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12 years working as an administrative assistant in human resources and credentialing for Etiwanda school District.
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13 years working as a credential analyst for Claremont graduate university and Azusa Pacific University.
Kimberly Bryan
Young Thinkers 2nd Grade Teacher, Session 1
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6 years teaching TK-6 for a public charter school, 2 of those years as an Education Specialist
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Taught in Japan for 4 years
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BA in Liberal Studies, Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, & MA in Curriculum Planning and Instruction
Laryssa Lahn
Young Thinker Art Teacher
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Teach art, grades 1-6, at three different elementary schools in Upland to expand artistic creativity and ability.
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Taught Project Think Art class 2024
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Over five years practicing Fine Art, curating, and exhibiting in local museums
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Graduated from the University of La Verne with a BA in Studio Art (Summa Cum Laude) & currently pursuing a teaching credential/MA in Education
Alvin Castro
Young Thinkers P.M. Visual & Performing Arts Teacher
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10+ Years of classroom teaching experience in both the private and public school settings
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Currently a certified music teacher for the Chino Valley School District
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Education: BA in Instrumental Performance and Music Education; M.M. in Instrumental Performance; and Single-Subject Music Credential
Amanda Tonkin
Advanced Thinker AM & PM Drama/Theater
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10 years teaching Elementary Theatre and Art classrooms for grades K-8
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BA in Theatre Arts with an emphasis on Theatre Education, and a multiple-subject teaching credential
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Specializations in Improvisation, Musical Theatre, and Lighting Design
Michelle Plummer`
AM Advanced Thinker Science
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Over 20 years experience in the education field
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17 + years experience teaching full-time in public, private, and charter schools
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Multiple Subject Credential & MA in Education from Claremont Graduate University
Dorian Glover
Swim Program Directo
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Swim coach of 7 years
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Child Care aid
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Competitive Swimmer for 15 years
Claremont Colleges Interns & Assistant Teachers
Eszti Adams
Young Thinkers Coordinator
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Bachelors in Multiple Subject Education and Master’s in Education
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Former 1st grade teacher with 13 years experience teaching in the classroom
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Taught abroad in Japan
Trevor Santellan
Enrollment & HR Consultant
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Creates enrollment operational procedures & trains/manages new staff on enrollment software
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Assists with HR management
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BS in Political Science and a minor in Business
Simon Tanner
Lead Technology Teacher
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STEAM and Technology Specialist at Claremont Unified School District.
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9 years of experience working with elementary aged students.
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Passionate about science, critical thinking, and hands-on learning.
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BA from University of California, Irvine
Raelynn Lewis
Young Thinkers 2nd Grade Teacher, 2nd Session
8+ years of classroom teaching experience spanning TK–12 grade levels, across a range of instructional settings
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Holds a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and PK–3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction Credential
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Earned an M.S. in Child and Adolescent Development (University of La Verne) and an M.A. in Education (Azusa Pacific University)
Melissa Gallup
Young Thinker Music and Movement Teacher TK- 2nd grade & PM Swim Instructor
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Gymnastics coach for ages 3-12 for over 6 years (First Aid Certified)
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2 years volunteer experience at Project Think working with all ages
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Global education experience in UCEAP for Social Justice and Activism in Paris, France.
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B.A. International Studies with a minor in Medical Anthropology from UCI, currently pre-law
Stephanie Aggazzotti
Advanced Thinker Creative Writing Instructor
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Taught for two years at Project Think and other public schools
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BA Psychology & MBA Finance/Management & Leadership from University of La Verne
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MA Education/Learning & Teaching
Chris Herrera
Advanced Thinkers AM Art & Young Thinker PM Visual & Performing Arts
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Over 15 years of experience teaching Graphic Design and Figure Drawing
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Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration & CTE Teaching Credential
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Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop certified
Anthony Salinas
AM Makerspace
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MBA and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with foundation in leadership, communication, and program development
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Experienced elementary and middle-grade teacher with an emphasis on creativity, literacy, and personalized learning
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Leader of after-school music programs: Teaching guitar, bass guitar, drums, and performance skills
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Experienced in Makerspace projects, creative technology tasks, and video editing and production
Lola Hills
University of La Verne Intern
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Rising Sophomore at University of La Verne, majoring in Child Development, concentration in development and pedagogy
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Experience with autistic students
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Completed adept training, and CPR certification, and youth mental health academy capstone project
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Service coordinator in academic success cen
Juju Wang
Scripps College Intern
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Junior at Scripps College, majoring in Art
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TA for experimental print relief class at Scripps
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Co-teacher for outdoor education with Mountain View Elementary School
Sameerah Asgar
Scripps College Intern
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Double major in English and Politics at Scripps College
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5+ years of volunteering in public school classrooms
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Tutor across the Claremont Colleges, for both humanities and STEM classes
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Mentored for the Weekly Writing Workshop in partnership with Uncommon Good
Celeste Cariker
Pitzer College Intern
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Political Studies major and History minor at Pitzer College
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Tutored elementary school students in math, reading, and writing with the Claremont Afterschool Program
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Journalist of four years, served as Editor-in-Chief of The Express and continuing to work as a senior editor at The Student Life
Ruby Park
Pitzer College Intern
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Art/Art History major at Pitzer College
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Worked with Elementary children in underserved schools
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Gallery Fellow at Pitzer Art Gallery
Evelyn Law
Harvey Mudd College Intern
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Engineering major at Harvey Mudd College
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Experienced in working with youth in various STEM and sports camps
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Passionate about uplifting communities, and transforming ideas into reality
Peter Zhang
Pomona College Intern
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Rising Sophomore at Pomona College studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
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Volunteered for Project Think for 2 years in Makerspace and Tech
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Current Administrative Intern at Project Think
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Worked with non-profits in creating hands-on and engaging STEM lessons
Kaitlin McCarthy
CSU San Bernardino Intern
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California State University San Bernardino majoring in Graphic Design
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City of Fontana Lifeguard for 3 years, and Fontana Aquatics Club coach of 2 years
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Club and College swimmer
Grace Regier
Harvey Mudd Intern
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Prospective Engineering major with experience programming and using Makerspace equipment
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4 years of experience planning and directing activities for a summer day camp
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Worked at an after-school daycare for kids in K-6th grade
Angel Knight
Claremont McKenna College Intern
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Majoring in Psychology at Claremont McKenna College
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Volunteered with the Claremont Autism Center to facilitate social groups for autistic children and adults
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Competitive high school swimmer and studied in African American and ballroom dance
Gavin Hui
Azusa Pacific University Intern
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Rising sophomore at Azusa Pacific University studying computer science
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Personalized materials to teach English to Taiwanese students virtually
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Tutored Algebra, Trigonometry, and Precalculus
Ruthie Quiñónez
UC Riverside & CSUSB Intern
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B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from UC Riverside
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Pursuing an Ed.S. in School Psychology at Cal State Univ. San Bernardino (CSUSB
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Currently working as a Bilingual Special Education Paraprofessional
Lucas Wan
Pitzer College Intern
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Environmental Analysis and Economics combined major and Data Science Minor at Pitzer College
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Experience using GIS tools (ArcGIS Pro and Google Earth Pro) for environmental and spatial analysis
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Completed sustainability and environmental communication projects, including research, writing, and public-facing content
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Interested in education, environmental literacy, and helping younger students connect scientific knowledge with real-world issues
Órla Pelka
Pitzer College Intern
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Majoring in Biology with a minor in Art
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Certified lifeguard
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Competitive swimmer for 7 years
Dante Tedeschi
Harvey Mudd Intern
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Rising Junior majoring in Biochem at Harvey Mudd College
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Worked as a Teacher’s Assistant for introductory chemistry lab
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Academic tutor for high school students and teacher/director for a bible school summer program
Florence Bradburd
Scripps College Intern
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Rising Senior majoring in Biology and Religious Studies at Scripps College
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Experienced in teaching and tutoring K-12 students
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Current Biology Teacher’s Assistant and science tutor for elementary aged students
Diego Gamiz
YT Art (Am) & Non-Swim Activities
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Studying at Mt SAC and Harvey Mudd with a psychology major.
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Former Project Think student for two summers.
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Project Think volunteer for 2 years.
Keegan Hudspeth
Lenoir-Rhyne University Intern
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Sophomore attending Lenoir-Rhyne University, majoring in Exercise Science
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Coached children in multiple sports camps
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Intern at Project Think for 2 years
Matthew Cabrera
UCLA Intern
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Rising Freshman at UCLA majoring in Computer Science and Linguistics. Experience with coding and AI research at Harvey Mudd.
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2 years of private tutoring for elementary students in reading and math
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Taught programming and robotics through school clubs
Conner Neely
Harvey Mudd College Graduate Intern
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Graduated from Harvey Mudd, majoring in math and physics
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Graded/tutored for various college courses in both math and physics
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Five years experience tutoring K-12 students in math
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Conducted research in astrophysics and mathematical physics
Rae Ruben
Pitzer College Intern
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Biology and Political Studies major at Pitzer College
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Conducted research on white-crowned Sparrows
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Experienced in providing emotional support
Devi Canseco Lopez
Pomona College Intern
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Rising senior with a Cognitive Science major with a minor in Data Science and Latin American studies
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Worked 2 years with elementary-middle school students through the Pomona Draper Center
Jesse Dong
Claremont McKenna College Graduate Intern
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Claremont McKenna graduate with a dual major in Environmental Analysis and Data Science
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Teaching Assistant for the W.M. Keck Science Molecular Biology Lab
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Over 7 years of experience tutoring and teaching students, including designing STEM lessons and mentoring young learners
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Student researcher in environmental science, using computational tools to study climate change, carbon systems, and wildfire risk
Jason Bailey
Office Assistant
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Project Think session 2 office assistant in 2023
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Local school district part-time paraeducator Preschool – 8th grades & 5th grade classroom assistant
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Pursuing BA in Engineering at Cal State Fullerton
Karis Peebles
Harvey Mudd College Intern
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Rising sophomore at Harvey Mudd College interested in Chemistry, Climate, and Computer Science
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Started and taught a 6th grade Robotics class
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Wrote curriculum for Harvey Mudd College’s intro computer science class
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Tutored calculus, physics, and chemistry at Shasta College
Luke Beardsley
CSU Channel Islands Intern
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Rising Freshman studying Environmental Communications and Public Outreach at CSU Channel Islands
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Competitive swimmer with 10 years of swim team experience, developing strong skills in teamwork, discipline, and leadership
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President of the Graphic Design Club, leading projects, coordinating activities, and encouraging creativity among fellow students
Mason Miller
Assistant Teacher
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Professional photographer for 4 years & music marketing for 2 years
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Production for music videos
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Performed in an organized jazz band for 2 years