Ixchel Sollohub
Co-founder/Teacher Extraordinaire
Shelly Sollohub is co-founder of Namaste Whole Education School along with her partner in passion Vanessa Cabrales. Shelly is a former public school math teacher with experiences in charter schools as well as the private sector. She founded a small 501c3 school in 2001, The Way To The Lake, which addressed the need of young adults and teens who had been unsuccessful in traditional schools and offered a program in which the students could earn a high school diploma. Although, The Way To The Lake School addressed a growing need, Shelly began to research ideas for schools that would be geared to younger children with the goal of preventing failure in all children.
As long as she can remember Shelly has held a vision of a school in which children learn and grow in a way that is nature based and relaxed. The Way To The Lake fulfilled a need she saw in society, but not her vision. Today along with Vanessa and other passionate, supportive people Namaste Whole Education School is leaving the "vision" state and blossoming into an exciting reality. Namaste Whole Education School is being created in conjunction with several of Shelly's mentors. Using the wisdom and vision of Rudolf Steiner, the passion, courage and knowledge of John Taylor Gatto, and the inspiration and insights of Sir Ken Robinson, to bring to the community a truly innovative school, combining the past and the present, to create a paradigm shift in education which not only teaches but inspires. Shelly and the Namaste Whole Education School sees young people as whole beings growing not only through knowledge but through experiences. Shelly is quoted as saying "We at Namaste Whole Education School see children as inherently happy and joyful beings of light and love filled with natural curiosity. We believe and are committed to not only preserving, but cultivating these qualities as our students learn and grow."
Vanessa Cabrales
Co-founder/ Advocate
Vanessa Cabrales is co-founder of Namaste Whole Education school. Her role is two-fold, assisting during the day time for the teacher extraordinaire and co-founder, Shelly Sollohub as well as building community ties with the school.
She graduated from The University of Texas with honors, in Sociology and certification in Ethics and Leadership. She has spent 5 years teaching private piano lessons and through that discovered that all children are unique, require different learning strategies, and are gifted in music in different ways. Vanessa is also trained in Radiant Child Yoga, a program that teaches children yoga. Radiant Child Yoga acknowledges that: "A child is naturally radiant, aware, and full of innocent wisdom. The deeper purpose of teaching children yoga is to help them maintain their natural wisdom and radiance; or if their light has been dulled by events in their lives, to help them regain their inherent state of being."
Overall, Vanessa is passionate about bringing good into this world in whatever form it takes - through art, music, acts of kindness, or social justice. She strongly believes in the positive infinite possibilities for an empowered society and she feels the key to this vision lies in true heart-centered education for today's young people, a role that Namaste Whole Education School fulfills.
She firmly believes in the following quote by Margaret Mead:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Overall, Vanessa is passionate about bringing good into this world in whatever form it takes - through art, music, acts of kindness, or social justice. She strongly believes in the positive infinite possibilities for an empowered society and she feels the key to this vision lies in true heart-centered education for today's young people, a role that Namaste Whole Education School fulfills.
