Instructors
Mrs. Annie Alvarez
My Name is Annie Alvarez I have been homeschooling for the past 9 years. I am a mother of 3 beautiful kids, two of them have already graduated high school and my last will be in 6th grade this next year. My youngest boy will be attending COD in the fall working towards an ASE in welding and my oldest graduated UTI and is currently working for Fermilab. I am also a scout leader and camp as often as I can, even in the winter. I have taught art and science out of my home for the past 5 years. This past year I added 3 co-ops where I designed a variety of classes including art, robotics, general science, and crime scene science. I have a big passion for art, science, engineering, camping, and gardening. Most of all I love to teach. I am looking forward to another wonderful year.
Tina Bakopoulos
Hello. I am Dr. Tina Bakopoulos, a 25-year veteran, middle and high school English/Language Arts teacher, who also works with students with disabilities, team-teaching in the general education classroom. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Secondary English Education from DePaul University, my Master’s in Special Education from Chicago State University and my Doctorate in Administration and Leadership from Chicago State University. Throughout my years as a teacher, I learned that educators have a responsibility to lead, guide and assist all learners into reaching their full potential and that education has many purposes, but chief among them is to prepare students for the future. This not only happens within the walls of a classroom but also throughout the social world around us and the daily impact it has on us as learners. I believe that teachers must also be a “jack of all trades” and while my background is primarily in secondary English and Special Education, my own interests stem from reading, creating, crafting, and being hands-on with various modalities as a form of expression.
Gaetano Calandrini
Chef Calandrini has over 30 years of experience in the food and hospitality industry, receiving his culinary training at several leading restaurants in 4 different countries. Throughout these years, he has made many changes in his location and restaurant choice due to his drive to learn and experience different styles of cooking and techniques. Chef was born and raised in a small town southwest of Rome, Italy (where his family still resides) and moved to America in 2001. Since his time in the kitchen, he has had many accomplishments to be proud of such as cooking for an American president and receiving high recognition from the White House. Chef Calandrini has a true passion in teaching others to enjoy the process and art of simple, yet delicious and elegant food preparation and creation. He has been teaching everyday people, adults and kids alike, through his many seasonal cooking class demonstrations over the last 15 + years. To date, he has held more than 125 cooking classes.
In his free time, Chef Gaetano enjoys spending time with his family of 5 beautiful children and wife of 18 years and their awesome doggie, Co co.He loves to be outdoors, exploring and making memories for the years to come.
Mr. Michael Drew
Michael started taking piano lessons when he turned nine years old. As any reluctant youth would be so accustomed to do, he didn't take his musical aspirations very seriously-----much to his parents chagrin. Days after the September 11 attacks, Michael was watching the "Concert for New York" and was so inspired by the gifted musicians that he vowed to learn how to play guitar. Thus began his dedication to music and Michael's decision to ensure that it would always be a main focus of his life.
Throughout high school, Michael practiced the guitar for five hours a day, proving to himself and his parents that even though he did not come from a musical family, nothing was going to stop him from making his dream become a reality. To hone his skills on a deeper level, Michael studied classical guitar and music theory at Judson University. This decision proved worthwhile. Michael realized that teaching others how to play guitar and piano was a great way to earn a living while continuing to play music.
Michael is a member of one the hossest up and coming Chicago-based alternative rock bands, Adora. The band has received a host of national press, including mentions in AP magazine, and band highlights on FUSE TV. Adora has played many of the top Chicago venues, including sold out show at the Metro and House of Blues. The band is currently finishing final production work on their second EP which is due to be available in early 2012.
Michael also is engaged in a number of personal musical projects. He is a musician at Westridge Community Church, is forming a cover band that will begin touring local venues in the near future, and recently finished his first solo EP.
Mrs. Masha Furmanov
MASHA FURMANOVA: (Improv, Children's Theater/Play Class) Masha has been teaching classes at Champs for several years. Anything to do with theatre and imagination is a favorite of hers. She has a degree in Elementary Education and is glad to be able to put it to use in such a fabulous setting with promising children!
Rachel Garrity
I taught Preschool Story and Art at another coop and loved it. The kids had so much fun making the story come to life. I have an art background and have studied all kinds of Art in college. I love teaching and working with little kids especially when a craft is involved.
Mrs. Nancy Gilles
NANCY GILLES: (Art) Nancy studied at Indiana University and received a BFA in Fine Arts, certified to teach K - 12. She received a MAR (Masters of Arts and Religion) from Trinity International University. She taught Art History and Applied Fine Arts at Trinity College for 2 years. Nancy has taught at CHAMPs since 2002.
Mrs. Jackelyn Herr
JACKELYN HERR: (Pre-school) Jackelyn is married to Jon Herr and is a mother of four children, ages seven to seven months. Two will be attending CHAMPS next year. Jackie has a Social Worker degree and has worked in the adoption field until moving to Illinois in 2017. She currently home schools her children and keeps busy at home with her family and church family.
Rachel Horan
Rachel has a BA in American Sign Language interpreting, including ASL linguistic studies and Deaf culture studies. She has worked in the field of American Sign Language Interpreting for 21 years and mentored a half dozen interpreting students. She has taught one adult ASL beginners class and three ungraded homeschool classes for students of varying grade levels. Rachel's husband is Deaf and ASL is a second language in their home.
Ms. Catherine Jones-Endres
CATHERINE JONES-ENDRES: (Lego League Robotics) Cathy attended the University of Illinois and received her BS in Mechanical Engineering. She has been a coach/mentor and judge of FIRST Lego League since 2003. Cathy is a mentor to the FIRST FRC High School Robotics team(s) for the last 10 years. She has been a member of CHAMPS since 2015.
Mrs. Candy Murray
CANDY MURRAY: (Piano/Music Teacher): Candy received her BA in Theology/Music from Kent Christian College in 1992. She has predominately used her gift to further the kingdom of God as a minister of music. Candy has played and taught piano since 1985 although occasionally she plays flute, accordion and organ. Her styles of teaching include; classical, chord charts and ear training. She currently teaches privately in several suburbs of Chicago. She is married and the mother to three, Jeremy, Abigail, and Alex. Candy is passionate about her relationship with Christ and is very involved in her local church. In her down time, Candy enjoys reading and traveling with her family. Contact info [email protected]
Mr. James Netzel
James Is happily married to Amy for 21 years and counting with three sons: Thomas, Aaron and Elijah. He is in his 30th year of studying Tae Kwon Do. He is a regular attender and member of Village Church of Barrington. Graduated from Olivet Nazarene University with a B.S. in Criminal Justice but never pursued it as Tae Kwon Do was his first love. He is the owner/operator of the W. Kim Tae Kwon Do location in Mount Prospect, IL.
Claudio Pandolfi
My name is Claudio Pandolfi. I have a degree in Compute Science, and 20+ years experience in controls engineering and industrial automation. I am currently self employed working as an automation engineer for large companies, mostly in the packaging industry.
Mrs. Lea Papritz
LEA PAPRITZ: (Children's Choir / Teen Choir / Private Voice and Piano Lessons) Lea has been a homeschool mom for almost 15 years. She and her husband Dave began this journey somewhat tentatively, in Northbrook, when their third born daughter began first grade. Their fourth child, and only son (with 5 sisters!) will be graduating from high school this spring.
Lea leads the children’s and teen choirs at Champs, and offers private voice lessons. She is also willing to teach beginning through intermediate level piano students. (Lea does have experience with reading chords and some piano improv for interested students.) Her degree in vocal music performance was obtained from Luther College. She takes great delight in leading worship, and writing contemporary Christian music centered on Christ, and the gospel.
Sarah Paradise
My name is Sarah Paradise Schorsch, and I have been homeschooling for the past 9 years. I have two children, who will be 12 and 6 this year. I was a US History major and Art History minor for undergrad, then earned a Masters of Arts in Teaching Early Childhood Education with a concentration on teaching English Language Learners. Before becoming a mother, I taught preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 2nd grade. Throughout college I worked at various jobs with Spanish-speaking populations, and took Spanish classes through jr. high, highschool, and college, taking great joy in being able to speak with my Puerto Rican grandma in the language of her heart. In recent years I have been teaching religious education classes to middle schoolstudents, and am on the board of my daughter’s AHG Troop, and frequently work with the girls in the middle school and high school levels. My hobbies include reading, crafts, and going on walks in nature and forest preserves.
Mrs. Jamie Presco
Jamie Presco (Children’s Gardening). My name is Jamie Presco and I am a homeschool mom of two. I have a BS in Business Management from NIU and after graduating I worked as an Executive Assistant for 10+ years. I am currently starting my own business growing flowers on our property. My kids and I love gardening more than anything, we like to grow fruits and vegetables and we also take care of our apple orchard. I spend a lot of time cooking and I enjoy being with my family and friends. I look forward to introducing your children to all the joys and rewards of growing plants while having fun at the same time.
Contact Info: [email protected]
Rev. Brian Prewitt
BRIAN PREWITT: (Introduction to the Old Testament) Brian received an M.Div. at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, a J.D. from the University of Virginia, and a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology from Rice University. He is currently the Preaching Minister for Cardinal Drive Church of Christ in Rolling Meadows, and has previously served churches in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. He has previously worked as a prosecutor and in the areas of business litigation and criminal defense in North Carolina. Contact info: [email protected]
Lissa Schellinger
I have a bachelor's degree in mathematics with teacher certification from Eastern Illinois University. I earned my master's degree in mathematics from Chicago State University. I also did post graduate work at University of Illinois at Chicago. Prior to having children, I was a professor of mathematics at Daley College in Chicago 19 years ago where I taught arithmetic and algebra courses extensively. Since that time, my husband, Mike, and I have been spending our time loosely studying chaos theory as homeschooling parents of six children. All six of my kids have been homeschooled since kindergarten. My oldest is a computer engineering major at Milwaukee School of Engineering. My second oldest is currently a senior in high school and plans to major in mechanical engineering. I have two other children in high school, a child in middle school, and one in elementary school.
Mr. Tait Wasser
TAIT WASSER: (Physical Eduction / Private Pilot Ground School): Tait and his wife Marijana, have homeschooled their 3 daughters for the past 14 years. At their previous co-op in Pennsylvania Tait taught both physical education and running club for 5 years. Tait enjoys passing on his passion for running and sports to today's youth. Tait enjoys spending time with his family and any outdoor activity. Contact info [email protected]