“I moved to Brookings in 2010 to attend SDSU. Working with kids and teaching with a non-profit was not my original intent. After some trips abroad, I wonderfully stumbled into it.” Cassie Juba started tutoring in 2012 and has now grown to serving 86 students out of a kid-friendly space at 409 4th St, called PLAY - Personalized Learning Adventures for Youth. Cassie makes learning approachable for students by incorporating play and adventure, leading to fun and enjoyment, rather than viewing learning as a large cumbersome task.
Downtown Brookings has been incorporated into the curriculum through historical projects and neighborhood exploration. The kids frequently walk around the area, play at nearby parks, and visit the library in the process of learning. Cassie likes their location on 4th as it allows the group access to area amenities without too many distractions.
PLAY received 501c3 non-profit status in 2018 and has a board of three individuals. As a non-profit, PLAY can more easily partner with other organizations and keep the base membership costs low. Cassie shared, “I want students to be able to do many activities in town and don’t want finances getting in the way of enrolling.”
“The best part of my job sounds cliché, but it’s seeing my students smile every day and when they have lightbulb moments.” Cassie is celebrated a milestone this past spring when her very first student graduated high school. “From now on, I have a student graduating every year.” While she loves the kids, not every part of business is easy. Cassie explained “Knowing when to quit at the end of the day is hard. What you do is such a big part of who you are. Being able to walk away and stop working, shut the door at the end of the day, has been the hardest.”
Think PLAY Tutoring Center sounds like a good fit for your child? Spots are open for the upcoming trimester. Contact Cassie for more information and feel the passion she has for the youth in our community. Thanks for all you do Cassie!