Instructor Bios

Tina Cornett is a homeschooling mother of four children.  She completed an A.S. in Architectural technology but has always known her passion was in being a mom. She has always had a love of creating in many mediums.  Her love of pottery started in high school, continued in college and has been shared with many homeschool students in co-ops. She has taught a variety of classes to homeschoolers over the last 15 years.  She enjoys presenting opportunities for the students to learn new skills which allows them to discover their abilities and creativity.  It also provides the students the knowledge and understanding to appreciate the work of others.  

Alfredo Escobar was born in Vina del Mar, Chile, and came to the United States with his mother and five siblings when he was in the fifth grade. His experience as an immigrant who learned English, completed college, and now owns several business ventures has enabled him to encourage others who are interested in bettering themselves. He is best known as an artist and designer; his murals, paintings, and pencil portraits have been exhibited across the USA and abroad, and his design and screenprinting services are in demand from customers far and wide. Mr. Escobar and his family own and operate Happiness Hills Farm & Retreat near Berea, where they will be starting a Learning for Life residential school for young adults in 2022.

Jennifer Escobar grew up in a family of performers and educators in Berea, Kentucky and has been teaching dance in Kentucky schools since 1986. She joined the Kentucky Arts Council in the mid 1990’s, and is one of Kentucky’s most popular teaching artists.  Mrs. Escobar brings her experience as an internationally-acclaimed musician and recording artist to the classroom, enriching students’ experience as she shares her arts with them.  She currently directs the Berea Festival Dancers and is a director/instructor at Spotlight Acting School in Berea. She and her family own and operate Happiness Hills Farm & Retreat near Berea, where they will be starting a Learning for Life residential school for young adults in 2022.  

Cindy Fawcett is a graduate of the University of Kentucky who successfully homeschooled her two sons. She has been a teacher for various academic programs for the past 15 years and has worked as a reading and writing tutor for 12 years. She enjoys teaching teens and has a passion for helping all students to become more proficient writers.

Jamie Groover has a Bachelor’s degree in Greek and Roman Studies and English from Rhodes College in Memphis, and a Master’s degree in Classical Languages and Literature from the University of Kentucky. He has worked as both a teaching assistant and part-time instructor at UK, teaching beginner and intermediate Latin as well as Greco-Roman mythology. But he has primarily worked as a tutor with homeschoolers, which he has been doing for over fifteen years. Working one-on-one or in small groups, he has taught or tutored many students in subjects ranging from Latin and English to geometry and biology. He loves comic books, scary movies, his wife and their two cats.

Sarah Russell is an 11 year veteran of homeschooling her 4 children.  She has a Bachelors degree in English with a minor in Education. 

Melia has homeschooled for 15 years & loves spending time with her family! She is married to Andrew & they have two daughters. Melia graduated from Southern Adventist University with a BS in Broadcast Journalism & Communications, minoring in speech. Following graduation Melia worked for Florida Hospital Foundation & then CBS News affiliate KTVF Channel 11, until moving to Lexington 27 years ago. Prior to homeschooling, she worked in communications, wrote a monthly entertaining/etiquette column for The Front Porch (a nationwide newspaper insert), started her own business (Melia Kay & Ko.) & taught cooking/technique classes at Williams Sonoma. Melia is a Lexington Children’s Theatre board member, a Sustainer with the Junior League of Lexington, and active on several other local boards & in church music ministry. She is looking forward to working alongside her students, learning & growing together.

Cindy West has been homeschooling on a cattle farm in Bourbon County for more than 20 years. She has a master's degree in education which has opened doors for her to teach in many unique situations. Her passion is to inspire parents toward creative homeschooling so kids can have a deep love for learning. She has written about many of those creative ideas on her website OurJourneyWestward.com. Besides homeschooling her son and teaching hands-on classes to high schoolers at BU, her main job is Mrs. Cindy of No Sweat Nature Study LIVE and the No Sweat Nature Study Podcast where she teaches science through the lens of nature study to 1st-8th graders online.