A Las Vegas native, Sarah Tavernetti knew she wanted to work with kids when she was just a child herself. After receiving her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, she taught 2nd grade at a Title 1 school for 3 years where she witnessed the district-imposed curriculum, assessments, and policies causing harm to her students' overall wellbeing and development. Feeling out of place in this educational environment, Sarah resigned from the school district and traveled to the jungles of Panama with hopes of figuring out how she could work with children in a way that aligned with her heart and mind. While part of her days were dedicated to teaching English in the local schools, the other half was spent climbing, dancing, playing, swimming, and exploring the wonders of the jungle with the children in the rural town of San Miguel. Through this, she witnessed the natural curiosity children have and the eagerness they exhibit when they’re able to let that curiosity lead the way.

Inspired by this, Sarah returned to Las Vegas where she was rehired at her previous elementary school; again teaching second grade but with the intention to create a change within her classroom. Sarah implemented ways of learning that were more aligned with her educational philosophy and that provided her students with the freedom and trust they deserved as they not only connected with their learning but also with themselves. Throughout the next 3 years, Sarah watched with a full heart as her students thrived with this newly rediscovered independence, trust, and empowerment but then noticed that the transition into third grade proved to be a struggle as testing was more prominent and the academic expectations more unforgiving.

Due to this, Sarah resigned from the school district for her second and final time with the determination to create an educational setting where the development of each child's confidence, creativity, integrity, autonomy, strengths, and heart was prioritized over curriculum, grade-level expectations, and standardized assessments. After partnering up with friend and fellow passionate educator, Yamila, Bloom Academy is the result. Sarah’s own “feel goods” include traveling internationally and throughout the states, a warm cup of coffee in the morning, reading books (sometimes too many at once!), teaching theatre, exploring the outdoors, and listening to live music.