Staff
Don Anderson Jr.
Co-Founder,
Vice President & Program Director
Don is an artist.
Jim Tetreau
Founder,
President & Project Director
Jim is a writer.
Ana Brito
Student Instructor
I have faced many barriers and struggles since moving to the United States. Having grown up in South Los Angeles, I know the characteristics of this community make it very difficult for the children and their parents to succeed. Every student in this community has faced at least one obstacle. My challenge has been lack of adequate explanation on school work from my teachers at school. This is just one of many reasons why I chose to work at Strive. I want the kids to excel in their academics and in their personal lives.
We are all surrounded by good and bad options, but for some of these kids it is hard for them to recognize the good options. I believe we are making an impact at Strive helping our kids become better prepared for their own future.
Some of the things I love to do are read and write. This is why I encourage our children to do their best in their assignments, not only doing it well but learning to enjoy doing it.
Susana Cuautle
Lead Instructor
Hello my name is Susana Cuautle. I have been an instructor at Strive since June 2009. On June 2008 I received my B.A. in English and Psychology from the University of California, Davis. I am currently working towards my multiple subject credentials at Cal State Long Beach. After that I plan on pursuing my Master’s degree in Education or Social Work. Ultimately, I want to continue working with children and serve them educationally and socially.
I first encountered Strive one summer day after work. My adolescent brother (who has attended Strive for a year) would sometimes tell me about Strive, so I was curious to find out more about the program. I was pleasantly surprised when I first entered Strive. Besides having multiple classrooms and ample courtyard space, Strive is extremely polished and welcoming unlike any other After-School facility in South Los Angeles. Since I was looking for a job, I inquired about a position and a few weeks later I was hired. Working at Strive has been both challenging and rewarding. I have learned much from the staff and diverse students. Most importantly, working at Strive has allowed me to grow as an educator and spur my passion for children.
I grew up five blocks from Strive, so I understand the problems and violence that plague our community. When our students enter Strive they know they are safe and in an environment that inpires them to grow into successful community members. We teach our students to rise above community challenges and barriers and to not be victims. I am not just an After-School instructor, but a mentor and role-model for our students, especially the Middle School & High School students with whom I work at Strive.
My goal at Strive is to teach my students the following: With the right support system, motivation, and hard work they can achieve anything. I hope my students will learn from me as much as I have learned from them. I hope they can someday explore and live outside of South Central Los Angeles yet be inspired at some point to give back to this community. I lived in Davis for 4 years and even though it is much quieter and safer, I knew my calling was to return home and give back to my community, which both horrified and inspired me as I was growing up here. I know that by helping our youth succeed I am improving our community one child at a time.
Jose Gatica
Student Instructor
My name is Jose Gatica. I was born on September 11, 1992. I live in the city of South Los Angeles and attend John C. Fremont High School. I am ready to graduate from High School and move on to college.
I am a really nice person to talk to. One good thing is that I am surrounded by people who love me.
My goals are to go to a community college then transfer to a four – year university. I plan to be a teacher because I am good at explaining things, like to teach and like learning from others. I like working at Strive for the same reason: every time I come I learn new ways of teaching our students. Aside from my helping our young students, working at Strive is preparing me to reach my career goals.
I am good communicator, a good listener, and a good advisor. I know growing up in South Los Angeles is not easy, but everything is possible if you help others reach their goals. I know this because I was helped by two special teachers. When I did not speak English, they helped me improve my English and learn how to read. This is why I want to be a teacher. I will be able to help students with their problems like I was helped and improve their academic subjects too.
Tatiana Hernandez
Lead Instructor
I was born and raised in South Los Angeles, and because of this I understand the everyday challenges children and their families face living in this neighborhood. Growing up, my main motivation was my mother and the many wise words she gave me. I’ve known for awhile now that if I wanted to change the ongoing tradition in my family of being under-educated, it was going to take hard work, persistence and determination. I believe I was able to overcome the violence, gangs and negativity surrounding me as I grew up due to the support of my family and teachers.
My goal at Strive is to motivate the children to make a change in the world, but most importantly in their lives. I enjoy working with the children at Strive not only because they are wonderful children, but also because they show me something new each and every day. This helps me better understand them and provide the help they need.
I am attending college and will be the first one in my family to earn a degree. I am currently studying computer networking systems, but my time at Strive and inspiration from the children have helped me find another calling. I now want to become a teacher.
Jaime Lopez
Student Instructor
My name is Jaime Lopez, I came to the United States when I was six years old but I have lived most of my life in South Los Angeles. I am currently attending California State University Los Angeles, majoring in Computer Science. My goal is for one day to be able to conduct research on Autism via Artificial Intelligence. I not only love to read fiction novels but I am working on one of my own. I hope to one day be able to understand the thoughts of my brother who is autistic.
I am proud to be able to serve my community by helping the youth to strive higher than what is expected of them. In school many of the classrooms are overcrowded, making it hard for students to receive the attention that they deserve and obtain a good perspective of their education. Also, the lack of support to help them understand their academics leads to many of them give up and dropping out of school, further contributing to the negative image of South L.A. But it gives me great joy to help students excel in their academics and provide them with an environment that will help them stay out of the streets and instead become excellent contributors to society. I believe every student has an opportunity to become the leaders of tomorrow and I am here to assist them in any way possible.
“Don’t just dream of success, Strive for success”
Cynthia Martinez
I believe that a program such as ours at Strive is a wonderful source of education for our children, because many do not learn the importance of an educational or work ethic anywhere else. In my opinion these kids are extremely special because even though they are surrounded by negativity, they are still able to smile and enjoy their youth. I intend to show them that there is a whole world out there aside from South Central. Growing up in South Los Angeles, I am familiar with what these children go through on a daily basis. There are all types of distractions that keep them from being engaged with their school work. I try to enlighten the children with something new everyday. I instill the fact that even though they were born into a tough neighborhood there is no reason they cannot succeed in life. I also stress the fact that achieving goals is hard work and nothing comes easy. This is why we try to make our children as self-sufficient as possible.
I consider myself a role model to these children simply because there aren’t many people they can look up to. I hope they look at we Instructors and realize there are many opportunities for them to take advantage of, just as we are doing now. One of those opportunities is Strive itself. I’m glad parents care enough about their children’s futures to push them to pursue their studies. I am pleased to work with children who are growing up in the same environment I did, because I feel I understand them a little more than their actual teachers. The children I work with make me smile and help me keep a positive attitude because of how open minded they are. It amazes me how much information they are able to retain in their young minds and are still eager to learn so much more. I hope to be able to teach, learn, and do what I love for many years to come.
Julio Padilla
Lead Instructor
My name is Julio and I was raised in South Central Los Angeles. Becoming aware of the good and bad habits around me, I learned to stay away from certain things while becoming involved in activities that would bring productivity to my life. I am currently attending East Los Angeles College. I plan to transfer to California State University-Los Angeles and earn a Bachelor’s degree. There is something new to learn every day at Strive. I’ve learned to improve my tutoring skills and to help kids feel more confident in their own abilities. It is a great joy to be a part of seeing our kids improve their academic skills, as well as their behavior.
Araceli Reynoso
Student Instructor
My name is Araceli Reynoso. Being raised in South Central Los Angeles has helped me understand the value and necessity of education. Like many in this community, I have faced many challenges along the way. However, life has also taught me that the worst thing that I can do is give up. One of the major challenges I faced was getting the best education in an environment where many believe that’s not important.
When I was a high school student, I saw many of my friends being dragged down by bad influences. At times, these negative influences were very close to me, but I had a supportive family that guided me every step of the way. I graduated high school with honors and I am currently attending East Los Angeles Community College. My main goal is to major in psychology. I would like to help kids in this community successfully overcome challenges, including but not limited to drugs, violence, gangs, prostitution and dysfunctional families. I also want to emphasize an understanding of the value of education.
Working at Strive has strengthened me to better achieve my goals and has provided me with multiple opportunities to help so many kids.
Ramiro Sanchez
After School Instructor
I was born and raised in Los Angeles by parents who spoke only Spanish. Since English was my second language, it was a challenge for me in school. On top of that, I had no one to guide me down the right path through my my entire school career, but managed to graduate from high school with a GPA of 3.0.
Working by myself was a personality trait I developed, since I had tremendous energy and enjoyed playing sports. After graduation, I wanted to challenge myself by aiming high and becoming a professional baseball player. I had to learn to let go of my fears, which were reading, writing and speaking English. In college, I chose to major in psychology, so I have no choice but to improve my English and work harder.
Growing up, I wish I had a program like Strive that could have helped me with my schoolwork. I reinforce to the kids to be grateful to have Strive, because they can get the assistance they need. I enjoy working with our kids because many of them deal with the same complications I did. Strive is a positive environment and gives students the opportunity to develop the good manners, positive habits and confidence they will need. Their chances for success in life are now higher.
Lazara Valdez
Student Instructor
Hello, my name is Lazara Valdez. I lived a block away from Strive for 8 years and had no idea such a great program was just around the corner. I grew up in South Los Angeles, California. In my years of living in this area I’ve had the opportunity to be surrounded by crime, violence, high school drop-outs, gang members, and drug addicts. I say opportunity because these were the encounters that shaped me to be who I am today.
I love working for Strive because it gives me the opportunity to help children discover their strengths, and help children discover ways to overcome their daily obstacles. I am a college student aspiring to be a nurse anesthesiologist. I want to make a great difference in the world. It is a great pleasure to be able to start at Strive.
Tyng Wang
Lead Instructor
A native of Southern California, Tyng Wang graduated from the University of California-Riverside with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with an emphasis on International Relations. During her time at UC Riverside, she also completed a Global and International Studies program in Yokohama, Japan.
For more than 5 years, Tyng has been actively involved in various nonprofit organizations. She has worked as both a volunteer and an intern for Reading To Kids and has also spent 2 months in Argentina where she volunteered with the organization Club Union de Los Pibes. Most recently, she was the lead ESL Teacher at Project Access. Tyng plans to further her education with a Master’s in Education and continue her work in Urban Education. Eventually, she would like to bring her experience to developing education in international communities.
In her spare time, Tyng enjoys watching films, trying new types of food, and practicing yoga. When possible, she loves to travel and learn about different cultures and experience an entirely different way of life. Her travels abroad include: England, France, Italy, Japan, China, Taiwan, Argentina, and Chile.
Jeanette Zuniga
Lead Instructor
Ms. Jeanette Zuniga was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. She is the second of four children from Salvadorian parents. After completing her K-12 education in LAUSD’s public school system, she moved away and attended UC Santa Cruz for four years. There, she became a first generation college graduate. Her Bachelor of Arts Degree is in Language Studies with a primary concentration in French and a secondary concentration in Spanish. In addition, her major allowed her to linguistically investigate many different languages in the world, both in use and extinct. Currently, she is working on her Preliminary Elementary Credential as well as her Secondary credential from Mount St. Mary’s College. She will be completing her credential program next year as well as completing her coursework for her Master of Science Degree in Education.
In her free time, Ms. Jeanette can be found playing sports like basketball or volleyball. She also enjoys riding and caring for horses. Mostly though, Ms. Jeanette uses much of her free time reading historical romance and/or vampire novels. She has read the entire Twilight series and thoroughly enjoys watching the movies over and over again. Her favorite movie of all time is still The Fifth Element, but she can watch Twilight for hours!
In the future, Ms. Jeanette strives to continue her education and graduate from Washington State University with a Doctorate degree in Education. She hopes to also complete her coursework for School Administration in hopes of someday having her own language-based school.
