What particularly stands out about Rachael is her ability to make the sometimes overwhelming process of developing a fantasy story feel manageable. World-building, character development, and plotting can involve many interconnected elements, and Rachael has helped our teenage students organize those elements into a framework they can use to write with greater clarity and purpose…She has made a career out of her passion for supporting children in their writing, and draws from her years of curriculum development and educational experience.

-Maddie Olson, Youth Development Program Director; Orcas Island, WA

Rachael goes above and beyond to connect with and encourage young writers in finding their voices and gaining confidence. She is also skillful at working with diverse girls, including neurodivergent girls and girls of varying ages and developmental stages. She provides a warm and inviting atmosphere where girls take creative risks and support each other.

Rachael is deeply compassionate, patient, and knowledgeable. She has decades of experience working with children and youth and is adaptable to different learning environments and groups. She is a pleasure to work with, funny, warm, and deeply creative. I highly recommend her as a teacher and mentor to young people.

-River Aaland, Program Coordinator of Ophelia’s Place: a center for adolescent girls; Eugene, OR

“This program is not simply enrichment, but is an example of the way we should be teaching our young people: integrating the social studies, language arts, and fine arts curricula with critical thinking and writing skills; and — perhaps most importantly — with meaningful ties to students’ lives.”
– Clare Cuddy, Director of Teacher Services, Smithsonian, Washington D.C.