Celeste Drummond, Site Manager/Teacher, Kindergarten - Lion Group; First Grade - Dr. Pepper Group
Celeste-sensei joined us during the summer of 1990; she began as a substitute teacher, and took over a part-time afternoon position the following fall at our Sutter preschool. She is a graduate of the University of San Francisco with a BA in Spanish. She is fluent in Japanese, having spent many of her younger years residing with her family in Japan. Celeste has taken numerous courses in early childhood education and possesses a Child Development Teacher Permit. She has had experience working with children in the Sunday School Program at the Christ United Presbyterian Church, where her father is the pastor. Celeste is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of San Francisco.

Cindy Yamawaki, Teacher, Second Grade - Pokemon Group
Cindy-sensei started working at NLF in August of 1998. She received her BA degree from San Francisco State University, where she majored in Japanese and Liberal Studies with a minor in Asian American Studies. She is enrolled in the elementary teaching credential program, and is a daily volunteer in a kindergarten classroom at Yick Wo Elementary School. Cindy has taught at Soko Gakuen (Japanese language school) working with middle school-age students, and coached an elementary school volleyball team for four years. She is fluent in Japanese, as her mother is a native of Japan and her father is Kibei Nisei.

Marlyn Murcia, Teacher, Fourth/Fifth Grade - Baby Geniuses Group
Marlyn-sensei began her work with our After School Program in February of 1999. She has several years of experience working with children from preschool-age up to 13-years-old in various programs. She has also taken all the required course work in early childhood education for a teacher’s permit. Marlyn is currently completing courses to obtain her BA degree and plans to continue working with children in the education field. She is fluent in Spanish and has been involved in community work, which she finds very gratifying.

Maki Kobori, Teacher, Kindergarten - Tiger Group
Maki-sensei is the newest staff member joining us in 1999, after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a BA in psychology. She has experience tutoring elementary school-age children in math and English, and has volunteered in preschool settings focusing on cognitive behavior development. Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Maki came to the US to attend high school and later college.

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