Sandy earned her BA in English and Philosophy before working as a PR specialist and publications supervisor for the county superintendent of schools, a junior high teacher, and a book, newspaper and magazine writer/editor. Since she finished homeschooling her children through high school, she has felt called to help other homeschoolers find their way through the maze of legalities and possibilities. She now supervises North Kern Christian School’s home study program, and serves on the board of Home Educators’ Resource Center, doing high school advising and private tutoring in the areas of writing and college test prep.

Carol earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Biology in 1991 from CSUB. She worked in environmental biology for two years, and then did long-term substitute teaching assignments until 2001, when she decided to begin home educating her first child. She has homeschooled her children now for 14 years. She also has led worship at her church for 12 years. She feels truly blessed to be a part of the HERC family, and is thrilled to have the opportunity to offer a biology lab.

Ms. Baker graduated with Regents High Honors at Jasper Central High School in New York, after which she studied Psychology, Intermediate French, and others, at Corning Community College. She has studied ASL at Bakersfield College, and pursued Bible Leadership coursework as well. She has taught every age group at churches since the age of 12, and has taught at HERC for several years. After homeschooling for 8 years, she recently graduated her youngest child with HERC.

Carol earned her Business Degree at CSUB, while working retail, and office work. After college, she worked as a financial planner and simultaneously opened her own small business. In these experiences she found her administrative strengths and discovered her passion for working with youth, returned to college and earned her Single Subject teaching credential in Business from Chapman University. Before homeschooling her own children, she taught in the classroom for 4 years. She and her husband, Brad, of 22 years, have recently graduated their first son from high school. It is her goal to help students discover their own God-given talents and encourage them in God's unique purposes for their lives.

Ms. McGinnis has been teaching social dancing, mostly to adults, for nearly 36 years. Five years ago she was invited to teach a group of HERC students who wanted to learn to ballroom dance for a prom, and was charmed by their enthusiasm for dance, as well as their attitudes and demeanor. She promptly applied for a tutoring position with HERC and has been offering her talents in dance instruction to new generations of homeschoolers ever since. She teaches Foxtrot, Waltz, East Coast Swing (3 versions), West Coast Swing, Country 2-Step, Niteclub 2-Step, Salsa, Cha-Cha, Rumba, Samba, and Polka, a favorite with the students. Ms. McGinnis has also worked as an Executive Administrative Assistant and Office Manager for most of her career life.

Carla home schooled three now-grown sons with the encouragement of her husband. She has taught with HERC for the past 17 years. Carla graduated from Cal State Northridge with a B.A. in Liberal Studies, a Multiple Subject credential and a Special Ed. credential. She also studied French 5 years stateside and received a certificate of completion from Eurocentre language school in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Love of reading and fine literature was engendered in Carla’s home as a child growing up and has continued her whole life. Carla has been studying/teaching philosophical worldviews for the past 18 years—beginning with her own children. It is her passion to provide young people with a clear understanding of why they believe and to enable them to defend their most reasonable of worldviews.

Mr. Ross has a background strong in painting with all mediums, print making as etching, lithograph, screen printing and graphic design. His high level of computer expertise comprises a wide range of software such as CorelDRAW, Adobe Pagemaker, MS Office, Powerpoint, PhotoShop, as well as HTML design and digital photography. He has taught art in school settings, as well as doing graphics design work as a profession for over 30 years. He is committed to serving the Lord in all walks of life, and serves faithfully at his church.

Tammy began home educating her children in 2002, and has been teaching reading intervention and communication skills to other home educated students for many years. She holds fast to a Christian world view and believes these students are our future and communication is a tool they need to succeed. Prior to home education, Tammy earned her AA in psychology and began teaching students who learn differently at Stockdale Learning Center. She also provided in-service training in the areas of classroom accommodations and techniques for Compton Junior High. She looks forward to the opportunity to work alongside you in your home-school journey and counts it a privilege to do so.

Rebekah Blanca graduated from Cal State University Bakersfield in 2000 with her B.A. degree in Liberal Studies and a concentration in Child Development. During college, Rebekah worked as an instructional aide for children with autism for several years. After graduating, she worked as a substitute teacher and instructional aide for both the Bakersfield City School District and Panama-Buena Vista Union School District. In 2005, she earned her M.A. in Special Education. After her third child was born, she decided to stay home with her children and focus on church ministry. She helped lead a family ministry for several years, which included Bible studies, play groups, family outings and mom’s night outs. She also taught the Bible class for children ages 7-11 for several years and occasionally helped lead out the class for teens. Rebekah has been homeschooling her 3 children for 6 years and her oldest son is graduating from HERC this year. She was a tutor for Classical Conversations (homeschool community) for 6 years. She led out instruction in art, music, science, and memory work (across various subjects) for grades 1st-6th for 4 years. She also tutored 9th grade for 2 years, including instruction in Algebra, Latin, American Literature, Physical Science, Economics, American Government, and Shakespeare. Rebekahloves the Lord and seeks to glorify Him through her tutoring. Her goal is to demonstrate God’s character through all the subjects that she tutors. She also loves reading, exercising (yoga is her favorite), and spending time with her family and pets.

Mr. Cowart graduated from UC Berkeley with a BS in Chemical Engineering. He has worked 38 years as a Control Systems Engineer, designing systems and specifying the instruments, valves, and computer equipment for various oil, chemical, and manufacturing companies. He committed his life to Christ at age 17. He and Darlene privately educated their son from K-12. Randy learned chess at age 11 and enjoys many strategy games. Randy has been interested in science and math from a very young age.

Julie Sepulveda has a passion to serve Christ, love people and learn anything and everything no matter what country God sends her. In 2016 Julie graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Spanish and a minor in Speech Communication from Whitworth University. A month after graduation, Julie left home to serve as a volunteer at Talita Cumi, a home for orphaned and abandoned children in Cochabamba, Bolivia. She currently works as the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center and is one of the interpreters at her church. In her free time Julie she serves as secretary for Toastmasters International Metamorfosis, where she hopes to continue improving her Spanish. She is currently writing a book about her experience in South America hoping to promote both the orphanage where she volunteered and use her experience to glorify Christ.