My name is Yessie Joy Verbena, I am the founder of the Blackberry Academy. Growing up in Southern Oregon I felt failed by my education. I did well in school, but it always felt like a chore. After graduation I came to realize exactly how poorly my education had prepared me for the world I’d entered. I spent years trying to force myself into careers that I now call soul crushing before I finally took a giant leap of faith.
It was 2019 and Covid was locking down the world. The Job I was working had dramatically reduced my hours. So, I quit. I made up some business cards and I started interviewing as a nanny. I was hired by the most incredible family I could ever imagine and my whole life changed. I had always loved caring for children; but society had never shown it to me as a valuable skill, something that the world needed. Raising my nanny babies brought me back to life. It unlocked my true passion and joy for helping children learn and develop.
Fast forward to today and that passion has grown wild. Like the blackberries my passion for nurturing little spirits has taken over the garden of my soul. I combine this passion with my love of the outdoors to solve what I see as one of the most urgent social issues.
Children today have far less access to time in nature and spend far more time on screens than any previous generations. A growing body of research suggests that over-exposure to screens and technology can have a negative impact on children and adults, while time spent outdoors has a profoundly positive impact of overall health and well-being. I strive to give children a place to grow and develop a lasting connection with nature while building the social and emotional skills to live happily in this fast-paced world.
My teaching style is inspired my Montessori and Waldorf philosophies yet does not adhere strictly to either. Instead, I focus on what each child needs as an individual and use the teaching approach that is best suited to the child. Your child is unique, and their education should be unique too. At Blackberry Academy outdoor preschool you won't find teachers who fit nicely into boxes and your child won't be asked to change to fit into any shape other than their own. Our little Blackberries grow in brambles; wild and free.