ACADEMIC TEAM
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Martin Naffziger, BA, M.Ed.
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While with New Summit Academy, Martin has earned his M.Ed. in Global Studies in Education from the University of Illinois, and earned his graduate certificate in college counseling from UCLA in 2012. Travel, the outdoors, culture, and education continue to be driving passions in Martin’s life, and he takes great pride in applying these passions to guiding and building an unrivaled Academic program at NSA.
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Peter Gottovi, MA in Education
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During his Masters work in New York, Peter became inspired by such educational theorists as Lev Vygotsky and Howard Gardner. Working in the South Bronx, it became his mission to try to teach in Vygotsky’s “Zone of Proximal Development” through Gardner’s different “Multiple Intelligences”. Early on, it became clear to him that the incredible advances in technology at the time were not being utilized anywhere near to their potential in a vast majority of the classrooms he observed. His principal at the time (now a superintendent for the Department of Education of New York City) asked him to become a lead teacher in technology integration at their school. She gave him the autonomy to write his own curriculum for and integrate his own unique “Literacy through Music and Cultural History” program, which featured a recording studio he built at the school. She wanted him to incorporate his knowledge and skill from his career in music with his English and history curriculum. His students loved the new approach to literacy and history, which allowed them to pen and record their own lyric-centered compositions, in addition to learning much culture and history behind the music they loved. The work inspired his master’s thesis, which was a human study on the impact of technology integration into instruction on his students.
Once at New Summit Academy, Peter immediately got to work building a recording studio as well as bringing down and also acquiring various musical instruments in order to provide the equipment for an energetic, if unorthodox technology-centered music program. But his integration of technology into instruction did not stop there. As the history teacher, Peter has worked tirelessly in order to collect and integrate a large assortment of rich, multi-media content and technology-based, multiple intelligence-delivered products and project/ problem-based research into the standards-based curriculum he developed. It is not unusual that you can hear a group of students “rocking out” in the rancho or in a recording session in the studio while creating new music. It is also not atypical to see a group of students engaged in the creation of a film, a podcast, a song, or the design of a website about an historical event, based on a research assignment. Now, with the integration of iPad technology, Peter is exploring new music apps, such as Real Book for iPad in order to take full advantage of the technology in order to add jazz and blues improvisation to the NSA music program. In addition to his teaching and music collaboration, Peter brings his 35 years of surfing and ocean swimming experience in order to help facilitate surfing instruction, lifeguarding, and trip planning and logistics for NSA’s student-led Surf Club.
Once at New Summit Academy, Peter immediately got to work building a recording studio as well as bringing down and also acquiring various musical instruments in order to provide the equipment for an energetic, if unorthodox technology-centered music program. But his integration of technology into instruction did not stop there. As the history teacher, Peter has worked tirelessly in order to collect and integrate a large assortment of rich, multi-media content and technology-based, multiple intelligence-delivered products and project/ problem-based research into the standards-based curriculum he developed. It is not unusual that you can hear a group of students “rocking out” in the rancho or in a recording session in the studio while creating new music. It is also not atypical to see a group of students engaged in the creation of a film, a podcast, a song, or the design of a website about an historical event, based on a research assignment. Now, with the integration of iPad technology, Peter is exploring new music apps, such as Real Book for iPad in order to take full advantage of the technology in order to add jazz and blues improvisation to the NSA music program. In addition to his teaching and music collaboration, Peter brings his 35 years of surfing and ocean swimming experience in order to help facilitate surfing instruction, lifeguarding, and trip planning and logistics for NSA’s student-led Surf Club.
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Juan Diego Rodriguez, BS in Biology Education
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students, including Rock Band, magic, graphic novels, sports, and video games. During football season, JD runs a fantasy football league (go Green Bay!). JD also helps the Experiential Education department with physical education classes, which gives him a nice and unique opportunity to interact with his students outside the classroom. He loves to go to the gym, play flag football, and especially play basketball with the students. Sports have always been a big part of JD’s life as he also played first division volleyball in Costa Rica and has celebrated a few championships.
JD is one of the staff who is native to the Atenas area. He loves being close to home and has a large family in the area, many of whom have opened their homes as homestay families to our students. JD enjoys spending time at home, talking to his family and sharing histories with them. He also loves to dance Salsa and other Latin rhythms although he claims he is not especially good at it.
JD is one of the staff who is native to the Atenas area. He loves being close to home and has a large family in the area, many of whom have opened their homes as homestay families to our students. JD enjoys spending time at home, talking to his family and sharing histories with them. He also loves to dance Salsa and other Latin rhythms although he claims he is not especially good at it.
Vianney Medina, BA, Teaching Spanish as a Second Language and Lic Administration
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Vianney loves learning about other cultures, but she is also very passionate about her own, which is why she decided to become a Spanish professor.
Before joining our Academic team, Vianney worked in our Administration department for years, and has important knowledge about New Summit Academy’s internal functioning and its student community, which will be valuable as a teacher. As Spanish teacher, Vianney wants to share with our young community all her knowledge about Costa Rican customs and traditions so they can experience real cultural immersion while they learn. Her goal is that students enjoy her Spanish class so that their learning comes easy and naturally.
Outside of the classroom, Vianney loves to run, ride her bike, hike, and many other outdoor activities. She also loves hanging out with her family and friends, and traveling.
Outside of the classroom, Vianney loves to run, ride her bike, hike, and many other outdoor activities. She also loves hanging out with her family and friends, and traveling.
Oviya Thirumavalavan, BA in Literature, Philosophy, and History
MA in International Peace Studies
English Teacher and Academic Advisor
Oviya Thirumavalavan is an English teacher and Student Advisor at New Summit Academy. After obtaining a triple major bachelor's in Literature, Philosophy & History, she went on to work in the fields of human rights, social development, and education policy as a researcher and teacher. She has worked and volunteered with several international non-governmental organizations in India, such as Amnesty International.
She has a master's degree in International Peace Studies from the UN Mandated University For Peace in Costa Rica. Her education helped her understand peace education and youth empowerment as tools of international peace. Her experience teaching in refugee camps and post-conflict communities showed her the importance of creating educational spaces that are learner-centered, communally healing, and holistic.
She has a master's degree in International Peace Studies from the UN Mandated University For Peace in Costa Rica. Her education helped her understand peace education and youth empowerment as tools of international peace. Her experience teaching in refugee camps and post-conflict communities showed her the importance of creating educational spaces that are learner-centered, communally healing, and holistic.
Oviya is passionate about exploring literature as a means to understand cultures, communities, and oneself. She co-authored and published a series of short stories as a teenager (http://www.quillclubwriters.com/book-list/homegrown-tales) and continued to engage with literature through moderating reading circles, creative writing projects, and social science research. Her goal is to inspire students to use language and literature to grow in their journeys and connect with themselves.
Outside of the classroom, Oviya enjoys yoga, rock-climbing, and martial arts. She loves meeting new people, traveling, and talking about how she misses home-cooked Indian food.
Outside of the classroom, Oviya enjoys yoga, rock-climbing, and martial arts. She loves meeting new people, traveling, and talking about how she misses home-cooked Indian food.
James Woody, BA in Mathematics
Co-Founder Mathematics Teacher
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James Woody is a high school math teacher who believes in incorporating real-life applications of curricular materials into his classroom every day. He has extensive experience in electrical systems design, building design, construction, and engineering. He enjoys the art of creation, especially when working in the woodshop. Mr. Woody is highly respected by the students he teaches thanks to his consistent, structured expectations and his ability to make math and science come alive through hands-on activities and real-life applications. James is dedicated to his students, serving as an honorable and influential mentor both inside and outside of the classroom.
Most recently, James took on a more influential role at The Bridge Supportive Gap Community Program for young adults where he serves as both an administrator and mentor to the young men participating in a gap year experience. He helps organize, teach, and mentor… all with a smile on his face! |
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Stephen Kopels
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For the next fourteen years, Kopels worked for PBS as a Senior Producer/Director. During his time with PBS, he created hundreds of documentaries and live television shows that won numerous national and international awards (the New York International Film Festival, the Gabriel Awards, and the San Francisco International Film Festival and two Peabody nominations to name a few) and was also honored as being named American representative at the Rockefeller International Independent Film Symposium in Venice, Italy.
In 1985, he became a partner with Imagemaker Productions in Nashville, Tennessee. Over the next ten years, he created dozens of commercials, music videos, corporate films, and documentaries.
In 1995, Steven moved to San Francisco, where he worked as an independent Producer/Director/Director of Photography for many Fortune 500 Corporations, including Levi Strauss, Oracle, Federal Express, Bank of America, Westinghouse, DuPont, Texas Instruments, and the Smithsonian Institution to name but a few.
In addition, he produced and directed three one-hour segments for a thirteen-part series for PBS titled Religions of the World hosted by Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley. In 2005, with his partner Jeremiah Birnbaum, he opened the San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking. For the nest ten years he was the President of the school and Director of Education. The school teaches students from around the world the art and craft of filmmaking. With his former partner, he has produced seven feature films for theatrical release with a sister company Fog City Pictures.
In 2011, Steven retired from The San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking and moved to Atenas, Costa Rica, where he continues to live his passion for filmmaking by teaching part-time at New Summit Academy.
In 1985, he became a partner with Imagemaker Productions in Nashville, Tennessee. Over the next ten years, he created dozens of commercials, music videos, corporate films, and documentaries.
In 1995, Steven moved to San Francisco, where he worked as an independent Producer/Director/Director of Photography for many Fortune 500 Corporations, including Levi Strauss, Oracle, Federal Express, Bank of America, Westinghouse, DuPont, Texas Instruments, and the Smithsonian Institution to name but a few.
In addition, he produced and directed three one-hour segments for a thirteen-part series for PBS titled Religions of the World hosted by Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley. In 2005, with his partner Jeremiah Birnbaum, he opened the San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking. For the nest ten years he was the President of the school and Director of Education. The school teaches students from around the world the art and craft of filmmaking. With his former partner, he has produced seven feature films for theatrical release with a sister company Fog City Pictures.
In 2011, Steven retired from The San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking and moved to Atenas, Costa Rica, where he continues to live his passion for filmmaking by teaching part-time at New Summit Academy.
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Daisy Rojas, Lic Spanish as a Foreign Language Teacher
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Daisy holds dear her spiritual beliefs, family values, and desire to serve her community. These have guided her work as a person, mother of two, wife, and professional educator. She is a loving person whose joy for life, unlimited hugs, and hope for the future make her a joy to work with and a person to admire.
