DANA CHILDS, B.A., Owner of Educational Adventures, Educator, Facilitator, Coach & Lover of Life!

Dana Childs has served in the educational field for over twenty years. Her work with youth and the arts has been concentrated for the past twelve years in and beyond El Dorado County. She has provided performing, musical and visual arts opportunities for thousands of children ages three to 18 years of age. Artistically speaking, Childs is a professional musician, visual artist and Arts Bank teacher through the El Dorado Arts Council. She studied voice for six years, two of which were at University of the Pacific (where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree) as an opera student. She has aided several youth towards accomplishing their own professional music careers.
As a visual artist she trained for a year under the world renowned art teacher, Gil Dellinger at the University of the Pacific, and later under professional watercolorist, Beverly Fields for two years. She began to sell her own art around eight years ago.
In addition, she is a professional acting coach for Rising Stars Kids currently, which trains youth ages 5 to 18 to professionally audition for television and movies. She has produced four theatrical plays with an average of 12 to 20 actors ranging in age from 5 to 12 years. She has supported and facilitated youth of the same age range in writing, directing, producing and starring in their very own play six separate summers at an all inclusive (special needs and typical children together) performing arts camp that she ran.
Since August, 2008 she has been working as a play guide at MAPS ~ Montessori Autism Programs in Folsom, California, where she was hired as a direct result of her former work with children on the autism spectrum and visual arts in particular. She interweaves musical, visual and performing arts throughout her play therapy session. As a play guide she utilizes Pamela Wolfberg’s Integrated Play Therapy.

GAIL FONTANA, B.A. ~ Teacher with Educational Adventures

Gail Fontana received a bachlor's degree in Creative Writing. She was associate editor at TL enterprises, a recreational vehicle and travel magazine publisher in Southern California, before moving to Shingle Springs in 1989, where she continued to write articles on a freelance basis for local magazines. She has taught creative writing to GATE students in the Buckeye Union School District and "Become an Author" workshop with Dana Childs. She is committed to making learning a fun experience. "There's no reason why playing and learning can't exist simultaneously." Gail is also interested in helping students of all ages formulate goals and showing them that they have the power to achieve those goals. Gail is currently a substitute teacher in El Dorado County.

Cindy Rosada ~ Special Needs Teacher

Cindy Rosada has been an instructional assistant with the Rescue Union School District for almost seven years. Working primarily with children with special needs and helping them to be integrated into the mainstream classroom. She has completed autism and inclusion training with Advance Kids in Sacramento, CA. She has also taught the "Arts Attack" program within the school district. Her focus has been to give children guidance in a positive and loving way. "All children should be honored and appreciated for who they are and what they can become," is Rosada’s philosophy.

Miranda Flint ~ History & English Tutor

Miranda Flint graduated from Northern State University in 2005, with a B.A. in Political Science. She has tutored students from Kindergarten to twelfth grade for over four years in both English and Social Studies. She particularly enjoys teaching American History and helping students understand classic literature.
Miranda has also worked as a news reporter, a library assistant and a freelance writer. She is the mother of two children.

Bob Calkins of Motherlode Photography

Bob Calkins has been a photography teacher for Ponderosa High School for many years. He is now offering these classes to the general public and we are honored that he has chosen Educational Adventures to team up with in this endeavor.

Motherlode Photography Overview ~

Our specialties are, Location Portraiture,Outdoor Portraiture, maternaty portraits, Engagement Portraits, Destination Weddings, Local Weddings, Family Portraits Boudoir portraits and Senior Portraits.
Their award winning portrait and wedding photography has been displayed and hanging in homes all over the country and beyond.
Portrait Photography: Having your family Photographed on location is something that really personalizes your portrait and separates Motherlode from other photographers. View our Galley section and just click on Family’s. Let the images speak for themselves.
Wedding Photography: Whether your Wedding photography takes place at your home, on a hillside in Placerville or one of our Historic Churches you can ease your mind knowing Motherlode Photography is covering your Wedding event. Over the years they have photographed over a thousand weddings all over Northern California. Their Coffee Table wedding books are a sight to behold.
Senior Portraits: Senior Portraits from Motherlode Photography are the images that memories are made of. Let your Senior portraits speak for themselves. Have FUN while having your portraits taken. In an alleyway in Placerville, by “old world” stone buildings in El Dorado Hills or the old power plant in old Folsom. Having your Senior Portraits taken by Motherlode Photography will set you apart from the croud.