Teachers
We are so pleased to introduce Robin Cervantes, Adolesco Prep’s Pre-K teacher. Robin’s sweet and peaceful demeanor paired with her love for children makes her instantly approachable and perfect for our little ones. Her experience in the classroom as a highly certified paraprofessional and her time teaching Sunday school to her church’s three-year-old class has her well-equipped for her role at Adolesco Prep.
Eventually, Robin decided to begin homeschooling once her oldest child was diagnosed with cancer, namely Retinoblastoma. During this time, Robin and her husband’s faith in Christ blossomed and Robin found she adored having her children home where she could utilize her love to teach while also imparting her ever-increasing Christian faith onto them. This time with them was so impactful that she decided to continue to pursue homeschooling even after her daughter was declared free of cancer. The University-Model appealed to Robin for the time she will have with her children, and as a Christian mother who feels called to teach young students. She is mainly drawn to Adolesco Prep so she can nourish them in an environment centered around Jesus and support their imaginary play while guiding their memory work through the classical approach.
Robin Cervantes
Pre-K
Through and through, Dera Hughes is an educator at heart with a passion for teaching young minds a well-rounded education that includes understanding the Word of God. As Adolesco Prep’s Kindergarten teacher, she will host an immeasurable nurturing and Spirit-led atmosphere where her natural inclination to understand a child’s way of learning helps her develop successful and curious learners. Her love for teaching began 30 years ago and while Mrs. Hughes has taught middle and high school, she is most drawn to young grammar school ages so she can instill at such impressionable ages a firm foundation in who Jesus Christ is and how He is significant in our daily lives. She also enjoys laying the foundation of a child learning to read, write and grasp phonetical concepts while using multi-sensory methods to successfully guide diverse student populations spanning a range of learning abilities. Over the last few years, Dera has taught using the Montessori method and has most recently been trained in the Classical approach, which she feels helps her complete her calling as an educator because it heavily incorporates the virtues and further enables her to integrate Christian values into her lessons. It also invites her to utilize her preferences to cultivate logical thinkers who articulate thoughts well. When Mrs. Hughes is not in the classroom you can find her spending time with her high-school-sweetheart-husband and their four grandchildren whom she pours into as well. She enjoys camping, hiking, four-wheeling and traveling with her children. Additionally, she fulfills her heart to serve with volunteering around her community at local nursing homes and at Our Daily Bread while also loving on babies in her church’s Sunday morning nursery. Truly, Mrs. Dera is a treasure and Adolesco Prep cannot imagine anyone else as creative and enthusiastic for our Kindergartners as she is!
Dera Hughes
Kindergarten
Dana Quinlan
History and English Language Arts 3rd & 4th
Adolesco Prep is thrilled to introduce Dana Quinlan as the third and fourth-grade Literature and History teacher! Dana has a love for literature and writing and knew it during her time at LSU where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English, immediately followed by obtaining her certificate in education. Mrs. Quinlan has been teaching and working in private schools ever since while raising her three children who are now in college. There were some seasons in which Dana felt called to be home with her children and even during these times, she chose to volunteer at their schools to be active in their lives and surround herself with children and an academic atmosphere. This is one of the reasons she is drawn to the University-Model® – she understands the need parents have to be with their children more and still have them enrolled in a professional school setting.
In addition, her experience and enthusiasm in teaching her chosen field are what draws her students near, not to mention her sweet, gentle, and encouraging demeanor. As a parent, Dana discipled her children to be kind always and to “pray without ceasing,” instilling in them daily disciplines of the Christian faith. Enjoying the art of discipleship, she has always chosen to teach within private schools like Adolesco Prep where she can share what she knows about God’s Word and learn with her students because “Jesus always has something new to show us.” Dana loves to learn and explore through reading, cooking and traveling, and stays active by running and Pilates. She brings a sense of balance and peace with her and is eager to start nurturing the students at Adolesco Prep!
Tia Broady’s love and knowledge of science and her heart for children has Adolesco Prep excited to welcome her as our third through sixth grade Science Teacher. Tia graduated from Barton College in NC with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and has since worked at the NC Natural Museum of Science and taught at Hammond’s Southeastern University as a Teaching Assistant within the School of Science. Here, she prepared and delivered lesson plans and exams and enjoyed using the most relevant technology to support and distinguish varying instructions. Tia integrates her joyous and responsible nature in a way that makes her both approachable and reliable. She is currently the Director of Kids Ministry at The Mission church in Ponchatoula LA where she oversees all programs, procedures, and volunteers while also practically executing her passion for teaching children about Jesus and how to apply the Word to their lives. She is truly a disciple-maker as teaching is only one way she incorporates her passion for the Kingdom. Ms. Broady has a long list of volunteer work including time coaching a swim team, leading a Girl Scouts of America troop and working within the Louisiana’s Department of Children and Family Services as a Foster Parent and a CASA volunteer. Tia is most excited to teach at Adolesco Prep so she can introduce scientific concepts through the lens of a Biblical worldview. She also plans to incorporate her zeal for theater by leading a drama club and teaching Theater as an elective. Adolesco Prep loves her heart for Jesus and making him known and her encouraging and joyful spirit. Tia immediately saw the vision of Adolesco Prep and wants to be a part of the new thing God is doing in Southeast Louisiana and Adolesco Prep could not be happier to have her!
Tia Broady
Math 1st & 2nd, Science 1st - 6th
Gabrielle Neyland
History, Latin, and English Language Arts 5th & 6th
Our History, Literature, and Grammar teacher for our fifth and sixth grades have overjoyed our expectations. Gabrielle Neyland is a hard-worker, serious about knowledge, and pursuing God. She is also kind and mild and has a passion for teaching literature in a way that is palpable and inspiring to the moral imagination. For the past several years, Gabby has been teaching high school in the gifted English department within the St. Tammany Public School System. At Adolesco Prep, our History curriculum dictates what our students are reading for Literature, so Gabby will be able to teach History and Literature with cohesiveness and enthusiasm. Mrs. Neyland will also teach Grammar and Latin and is excited to spend an abundant amount of time with her students teaching them various subjects. She strives to love well and make meaningful connections with students and parents, making her an excellent fit for the parent/teacher partnership found within the University-Model®. Hearing about Adolesco Prep caught her attention instantly as the Christ-like culture and Classical approach were most appealing to her. She is eager for the opportunity to teach unabashedly with a Christian perspective and delve into the Classical approach that she has been studying for the past few years. Currently, Gabby spends most of her free time reading to and playing with her baby girl and is active with her husband at their church. Gabby sings in the choir and cooks for the fellowship ministry. She has a selfless and generous spirit and her calming peace is contagious. The students at Adolesco Prep will be filled with knowledge and love under her care.
