Teacher Spotlight: Princess Gwature

Princess Gwature, third grade teacher at NTCA, found her calling at a young age. Starting in middle and high school, she gravitated toward teaching positions in church and vacation Bible school. At that time, she discovered she had a gift for teaching others and decided to pursue a career in education. She recently graduated from Southwestern Adventist University with a degree in Elementary Education. This August, she’ll celebrate her first full year as a teacher. 

Gwature grew up in Rowlett, Texas, and before discovering her love of teaching, she considered one day becoming a fashion designer. During her time away from the classroom, Gwature enjoys shopping, exploring new places and foods, and spending time with her terrier/lab Cash. Of the places she’s explored, London is one of her favorites; the Maldives is on her list of places she’d love to one day visit. 

Even though she has only been teaching for a year, Gwature has learned valuable lessons in the classroom. One of those lessons is that she has a great deal of grace to give her students, and she hopes they know that even on the difficult days, she’s there for them. At NTCA, she feels like she has plenty of support from other teachers when she needs help getting through to her students. 

“I love how the campus is a loving community of aid and reassurance from fellow teachers,” Gwature said.

To engage students in the classroom, Gwature finds ways to relate every topic to students’ lives. She applies the subjects to music, shows and other references that make the content more relatable and easier to understand. The most rewarding part of teaching for Gwature has been seeing students’ faces when they finally understand the lesson they’ve just learned. 

As a student, Gwature often hid in the background, and she realizes now that it created learning gaps for her. Now, she makes an effort to check in on every student to ensure that they are seen, noticed and understand what she’s teaching them. This is one way she tries to make her classroom a great place for her students. 

“I hope they are able to take away that school is a place you learn, but your classroom family is how you create memories,” Gwature said. “I want to help them forever relive my grade as the best grade.”

Get to Know Princess Gwature

What’s your favorite book? Esperanza Rising

What's your favorite movie? One Day 

What is your favorite Bible verse or passage? Romans 8:18, “For the pain you are going through will not compare to the joy that is coming.” 

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? I can eat Pho for the rest of my life! 

Students at North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Teacher Spotlight: Denise Tonn

Denise Tonn’s life has been a life of travel. During her time in college, those travels brought her on a mission trip that inspired her to be a teacher. As a child, she wanted to live in Alaska and drive for dog sled teams. Her childhood had her moving all around the US, including time in Clearwater, Florida as a middle schooler. She liked Clearwater so much that she moved back to the area as an adult, which eventually led her to her current role as a science teacher at NTCA. 

Even though she has made a home in Tampa Bay, Tonn still loves to travel. Her favorite place she’s visited is a village in the interior of Guyana, where she had the opportunity to live for a year. College brought her two a couple different states, with her earning a BS in Biology from Southern Adventist University in TN and an MS in Biology from Walla Walla University in WA. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys exploring new places, going kayaking and spending time with her family.

In her 16 years of teaching, Tonn has had the opportunity to participate in professional development programs around engagement strategies, student-centered learning and project-based learning. She incorporates all the lessons she’s learned by using different combinations of techniques every day. This career allows Tonn to continually learn and find new ways to engage students, something she does with a passion. 

“I see each of my students as a child of God who has immeasurable value in His sight,” Tonn said. “How could I do any less than my best for them?”

During her early years of teaching, Tonn drastically changed her teaching techniques whenever she learned new methods and wanted to try them out. She now has a strong sense of what works well, and she is much better at tailoring her instruction to the strengths and needs of the students she has each year.

If you ask Tonn, the best part of being a teacher is seeing the progress students make throughout the year. It’s not as much about the “aha” moments for her as the gradual changes that take place. She loves being part of the journey as students begin to take on more responsibility, experience small successes, form better habits and gain confidence in their abilities. It also brings her joy when they enjoy the subject matter. As a science teacher, she hopes that students will walk away with an appreciation of science as a relevant part of their lives. 

“I hope my students develop a sense of wonder and deep appreciation for God’s creation in the natural world,” Tonn said. “I hope they leave knowing that science is not some esoteric realm that’s the property of people in lab coats, but that science belongs to all of us. “

After taking her classes, Tonn wants students to be able to approach questions using the scientific method to find answers in their everyday life. Former students will sometimes tell her about how they experienced connections between things they learned in her class and what they’re learning in university classes or work life. Watching these students embrace education after high school brings her great joy. 

“Because isn’t the goal of every teacher to grow students who will be lifelong learners even after they don’t have a teacher anymore?” 

Get to Know Denise Tonn

Do you have any pets? One cat and two big dogs
What is your favorite Bible verse or passage? The Christmas story in Luke
If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would you choose? Jane Goodall, Rosalind Franklin, and Wangari Maathai
If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you would do? Buy my mom a house
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Super speed 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, students thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Teacher Spotlight: Mandy Corea

Mandy Corea wears many hats at North Tampa Christian Academy. She’s involved with Campus Ministries, teaches 6th grade Bible and Social Studies, and teaches academic lessons at the SVB Center! 

Corea’s education background is as diverse as her roles at the school. For her bachelor’s degree, she double majored in Sociology: International & Community Development and Spanish Studies with a minor in Religion at Andrews University. She also has a master’s in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty University and one in Christian Studies: Children at Risk from Fuller Theological Seminary. 

Including her time as a student missionary, Corea has spent nearly 11 years working in the education field. Education inspires her because she finds that, through education, she can help students become the best version of themselves. Growing up, she had teachers who trusted her and listened to her, empowering her to become a leader. She hopes to do the same with her students.

“When a student feels that they are being listened to and that they are in a safe environment and trusted by their mentors and leaders, thriving and growth begins!” Corea said.

Originally from Southern California, Corea grew up in Delaware and Maryland. As a child, Corea aspired to be a pilot for the Air Force or a mathematician for the NSA. She decided to pursue education as a way of giving back to the next generation. Through storytelling and sharing personal experiences, she encourages students to become involved in their own education in and outside of the classroom. 

“Storytelling converts something that was once just a fact into something personal and real,” Corea said. “Personal experience is vital for students to truly believe in something, and in turn, practice what they learn.”

Corea loves a good story. When asked about her favorite book, she said that there are too many to choose from. Her current favorite is The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. In terms of movies, she enjoys franchises like Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC and Star Wars. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Office and Parks & Recreation are a few of her favorite TV shows. 

Outside of being entertained by stories, Corea likes to have her own adventures. When visiting family abroad, making music, going on missions trips and participating in outreach events, Corea thrives when enriching her life and the lives of others. This is especially true for her students. Whether she meets them on the tennis court at SVB or at Campus Ministries events, this is how she wants her students to feel:

“Feeling loved, loving Jesus, and loving others; fighting for the dignity of human beings around them,” Corea said, “all the while, never doubting that they are each UNCOMMON: they exist for a reason and purpose, they are important, they are wanted, and they are loved, all because they are children of Jesus Christ — and in turn should live life understanding the same about others.”

Get to Know Mandy Corea

If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would you choose? Rosa Parks, Malala, Dietrich Bonhoeffer

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Indian and Central American food

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? To fly 

What is your favorite place that you have traveled to, or a place you would like to visit? Favorite place: the islands of Greece. Would like to visit: Israel and more of the Middle East

If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you would do? Use it to support and expand my ministry in Honduras 

What are your favorite Bible verses?  Jeremiah 1: 5-9 and Psalm 30: 7a.

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, students thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Teacher Spotlight: Laura Morena Grassiotto

While she was growing up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Laura Morena Grassiotto wanted to be a doctor, a singer and a pianist. She accomplished her musical dreams as a Christian singer in Brazil, and she chose the path of teaching. She now brings her love of music into her teaching at North Tampa Christian Academy. 

Known as Laura Morena professionally, she has a strong following online and is best known for her 2015 album Mais Perto. Her love of music is an important part of her life, so much so that if she could choose to have dinner with any three people, she would choose fellow musicians. The specific ones she chose are Johann Sebastian Bach, Martha Argerich and Nelson Freire.

Aside from directing the school’s choir, Morena Grassiotto thrives when writing songs, going to concerts and performing. Music is present in most aspects of her life, and she also enjoys exploring the world through travel and photography. Of the places she’s been, her favorite area to visit is the Greek Islands. 

Morena Grassiotto found her calling as a teacher while studying education in college. As soon as she began learning to educate children, she knew that this was what she wanted to do with her life. She graduated from UNASP (Centro Universitário Adventista de São Paulo) in Brazil with a double major in Music Education and Literature/Linguistics (Portuguese-English). She has now been teaching for five years.

In her time as a teacher, Morena Grassiotto has learned that there’s more to every student than meets the eye. Every student has layers, and sometimes, it takes time to reach the layer where they can find inspiration. Once that layer is found, students can shine and give an outstanding performance. Making this breakthrough is one of Morena Grassiotto’s favorite parts of teaching. 

“I like to give them opportunities to perform so they understand music is much more than learning notes and rhythm,” Morena Grassiotto said. “It is an outlet of the soul.”

The most rewarding part of her job at NTCA is watching students grow in their performance skills and become more comfortable expressing themselves. It’s hard work, but she finds it oh-so rewarding to watch unfold. She enjoys the fact that the school provides students with many opportunities to perform. Each performance is special and exciting in  a particular way for her and the students, which makes all the difference in the music program.

Morena Grassiotto hopes that after taking her classes, students become inspired and feel embraced by art. She hopes that through music, they find a way to express their innermost feelings, hopes and dreams, which makes journeying through life that much easier. 

Get to know Laura Morena Grassiotto

What are your favorite books? “Clarissa” by Brazilian writer Érico Veríssimo and “Vinte poemas de amor e uma canção desesperada” by Pablo Neruda

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Gelato.

What's your favorite movie or TV show? Movie: “Chocolat” and tv show “The Office"

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Mind reading.

What is your favorite Bible verse or passage? “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, students thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Teacher Spotlight: Angie Rubin de Celis

Angie Rubin de Celis teaches Spanish to all grade levels at NTCA. She has a different strategy and approach for each age group; she keeps it simple with younger students and exposes the older ones to as much language as possible. At all grade levels, she engages students by bringing them meaningful content. In any given class, students can be found playing games, singing songs, doing hands-on work with worksheets and participating in the occasional project.

Rubin de Celis always considered teaching as a career. As a child, she debated between becoming a teacher and becoming a dentist. She started leaning toward a career in teaching during her junior year of high school. She took education classes and went to elementary schools to observe, then got her CDA certification for early childhood education. She has now been teaching for about three years, including one year of missionary work. 

During her early years at Andrews University, Rubin de Celis worked with preschool children. She never thought she would end up working at a place like NTCA. She enjoys having the freedom to use her own curriculum and arrange her lessons to make Spanish relevant to her students. She wants her students to enjoy the learning process and to leave her class with a love for Spanish.

When students take Rubin de Celis’s class, she hopes that they have a sense of belonging. She wants every student to see and understand how much she cares about them. Building connections with students is the most rewarding part of her job.

“When the student is excited to come to class, that’s when it hits deep, and you know you're doing it right,” Rubin de Celis said. 

While students are like family to Rubin de Celis, she cherishes her family at home, as well. She spent her early life with her mother in Argentina, then moved to the US with her father. If she won the lottery, she would start by tithing, giving all the money she owes to God. Then, she would support her family in Argentina. She’d take her mother to the best doctors and pay for her treatments. Then, with the rest of the money, she would pay off her own debt. 

Biblical figures who love others despite adversity inspire Rubin de Celis. Her favorite Bible verse is Phillippians 4:13 — “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Her favorite passage is the story of Joseph, one of Jacob’s 12 sons who received a colorful cloak from his father, then went through slavery and prison before working his way up to becoming a compassionate ruler in Egypt. 

If you need a recommendation for a coffee shop, Rubin de Celis is happy to help. She loves going to coffee shops to read. She has explored so many of them that she often gives suggestions to others. She also enjoys going on hikes and exploring recreational parks around town. Her favorite movies are the Chronicles of Narnia series, and she loves watching Korean dramas in her downtime.

Get to know Angie Rubin de Celis

What’s a place you would like to travel to in the future? I have traveled to more than 10 countries already, and I would love to go to Turkey some day! 

What is your favorite book?  “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett

If you could have dinner with any three people, who would you choose? I would love to have dinner with King Solomon, Barack Obama, and Jesus, of course!

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? I will never get tired of soup. I love soups, especially if they have tons of veggies. Sometimes I eat 4-5 bowls even though I’m full.

If you could have any superpower, what would you choose? I would love to be able to go back in time and teleport.

North Tampa Christian Academy promotes leadership through Christian innovation, which helps build a sense of community and strengthen bonds between students and teachers. At our Tampa private school, students thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire every student. Contact us today to learn more.