Enriched Youth: The Roots
"I started Enriched Youth because, after working in classrooms for years, I recognized the need for extra educational assistance. I saw many kids performing poorly. They wouldn’t have been failing if they had extra help. Unfortunately, we teachers did not have time in our already-busy schedules for individualized student support, and that wasn’t our fault! So many rules and politics that I won’t get into. Anyway, I decided to change roles. I decided to remove myself entirely from the role of a classroom teacher, and enter into the homes of these children. I decided to BE the help the kids need."
About Enriched Youth’s Founder & CEO,
Cris DuCree
The first taste of teaching began in Cris’ childhood bedroom. There, she created a “classroom” which was full of fluffy faux animals, barbies, My Buddy dolls, and her favorite student—her little brother. Cris taught lengthy lessons which included every thing from art to math to spelling and grammar. Hours would go by before Cris heard her mom shout down the hallway, “Cris! Let your brother have a break! You have recess at your school, don’t you?! Let him out!” Her little brother, hungry and tired from all the knowledge a five-year-old could take, darted out of her classroom for recess, never to return.
Since then, Cris has learned the importance of patience, to pace her lessons and, of course, allow for breaks! :)
A southern California native, Cris is a former classroom teacher with over 12 years of professional experience in education. Before her business had a name, Cris tutored kids in West LA and BelAir to supplement her teaching salary. She was a classroom teacher for most of her career, teaching pre-k through fifth grade. This is where she cultivated her love for teaching the youth.
Throughout undergrad, she facilitated art programs through Free Arts for Abused Children (FAAC) for the neglected youth in Los Angeles.
After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Child Development at CSU Dominguez Hills, Cris created and designed successful homework programs for different classrooms, as well as a cookbook designed specifically for kids.
Cris completed a Master's Degree in Elementary Education at Grand Canyon University (class of 2019!). She has earned a total of four collegiate degrees throughout the course of her educational career, and plans to begin working on a doctorate, soon!
In February of 2021, Cris was chosen and interviewed by an online LA-based magazine to discuss Enriched Youth and how it started! The article went LIVE on March 1, 2021! Click the link below to read all about it!
http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-cris-ducree-westchester-inglewood/