A language immersion school with a global perspective

Intiwasi is a non-profit Spanish immersion school that serves the Los Angeles community in the Pico-Robertson area for children from ages 2-6. Currently we serve elementary levels TK & Kindergarten and are looking to grow one grade each year through 5th grade. In Quechua, the language of the high Andes, Intiwasi means the House of the Sun. Our children reach for the sun in all they do.

About us

Our aim is to create a safe and nurturing environment that fosters students' intellectual development and creativity. We strive to raise caring, inquisitive, and responsible individuals who possess a global perspective with a deep understanding and respect for different customs and beliefs.

At Intiwasi we are aware of the demands of an ever-changing world so we are always updating our classrooms, lessons, and training our staff to stay updated with new developments on how to improve the learning experience for our students.

Our teachers are passionate and dedicated and they understand that education and learning is a dynamic process and they see each one of our students as an individual.

Our approach

At Intiwasi we follow an eclectic approach to education that borrows from diverse educational philosophies such as Montessori, Project-based learning, Reggio, and others.

We place an emphasis on second language acquisition and proficiency at an early age. In particular, we offer a Spanish immersion program with a concentration on oral communication.

We believe that the best way to learn a language is using it. For this reason we strive to maintain a 7:1 (preschool) and 9:1(elementary) student-teacher ratio to guarantee a personalized education that promotes the use of Spanish in the classroom.

In the classroom, we follow a diverse technique to promote students' critical thinking, linguistic proficiency, and intercultural understanding with a high emphasis on science and art. At Intiwasi, we believe in building a deep sense of community and we are committed to establishing a collaborative and caring learning community where parents, families, and teachers have many opportunities to interact and build bonds.

At our school, we see learning and teaching as a dynamic process and are committed to continually assessing our practices to make sure we provide our students the best possible education. At Intiwasi, students receive so much more than an ordinary in-school education. We pride ourselves on creating a unique, exciting environment that embraces all types of learners and promotes growth both academically and personally. Students and families are also welcomed into a dynamic and supportive community.

The staff behind Intiwasi

Our team is composed of passionate educators from different parts of the world, adding an array of cultures and enriching our program.

Karina Torres
Executive Director and Board President
Karina was born in San Bernardino, California to Peruvian parents. As a toddler, she moved to Lima, Peru. That’s where she attended an English immersion school, becoming familiar with bilingual education and what it takes to be fully bilingual. Karina moved to Austin, Texas where she attended college, earning a degree in Anthropological Archeology and Latin American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Initially, Karina dreamed of being an archeologist, a dream that took her to discover many different cultures and several countries throughout Central and South America. In 2008, Karina moved back to Lima, where she taught English to both children and adults. Slowly, Karina discovered her new passion: languages and teaching. This led her to enroll in a master’s program in Applied Linguistics specializing in second language instruction. In Peru, Karina worked in several bilingual programs as an English teacher. In 2010, Karina moved back to the U.S. and started working as an ESL instructor at the University of California, Bakersfield, and taught classes for families that just moved to the United States as well as ESL students at California State University, Bakersfield. In 2011, she moved to Los Angeles and continued teaching in many unique settings, including home tutoring, home school, and after-school enrichment programs. In 2012, she co-founded Kallpachay, a local Spanish immersion program, and summer camp. In 2015, a change in vision led her to establish Yachaywasi, a local Spanish immersion preschool, and OLA Spanish Immersion. During this time, she completed a certification in Advanced Core Early Childhood Education from UCLA Extension and a certificate from MIT in Launching Innovations in Schools. In 2019 she helped found Intiwasi, a non-profit organization with the vision of offering quality and affordable bilingual education to all members of our community.
Karla Marroquin
Operations Director
Karla is originally from El Salvador. She moved to Los Angeles when she was 12 years old and has lived in this wonderful city ever since. She started working at our sister school Yachaywasi, in 2015 as a Teacher’s Assistant while still in high school. Since then Karla has worked her way up into many different positions. When Intiwasi opened its doors in October 2020, Karla was eager to jump into the new project, becoming a vital part of our school. In 2019, Karla graduated from El Camino College with an AA in Psychology. She is now working toward a BA in education and Psychology. Karla is passionate about learning and always has a great attitude toward new challenges. During her free time, she enjoys hiking, hanging out with friends and family, and listening to music.
Diana Curi
Lead Elementary Teacher & Behavioral Therapist
Ms. Diana Curi is from Cartagena, Colombia. Her love of education began in 1996 during a high school program called M.T.C.A. (Multicultural Teacher Career Academy) which ignited her passion for the Early Childhood Development field. She started her career in 2002. In 2015 she branched out to ABA and Early Intervention to assist children with global developmental delays. As a mother of three amazing children, in her words, she knows "the power of compassion and love." She also believes that children learn through play and will thrive with proper guidance including: positive discipline, consistency and following through while embracing their individuality.
Araceli Guzman
Site Supervisor and Lead Preschool Teacher
Araceli has over 20 years of experience as an educator, in addition to having two kids of her own! She has spent her career in education, with the majority of her experience in Montessori settings, and has been a Lead Teacher since 2001. Araceli holds a certificate from the American Montessori Society and has Infant and Toddler units. She loves working with children of all ages. Araceli has vast experience in lesson planning, preparation of class materials, and supervising personnel.
Ilce Alvarez
Lead Elementary Teacher
Hi! I was born and raised in Guatemala. My passion has always been teaching, my journey in the field of education started 14 years ago in Guatemala where I started working towards a teacher’s degree, assisting teachers in Elementary school classrooms and taking classes that involved planning and curriculum. I moved to the United States in 2010, and continue with my teacher career at Santa Monica College. While attending college, I volunteered and did a few internships at different preschool centers. I graduated with an AA degree in Child Development and started working as a Lead Teacher and some years later as an assistant director in a Spanish immersion Preschool located in Culver City. In 2020, I graduated with a BA in Child Development from California State University, Los Angeles. In the same year, I experienced teaching preschoolers and tutoring elementary school children in Spanish through zoom. I am passionate about teaching and bilingual education because I know from my own experience how being able to speak more than one language can be an important tool to children’s future. As a teacher, my goal is to bond with my students and create an environment in which children feel safe and enjoy their learning experience. During my free time I enjoy hiking, reading, and spending as much time as I can with my family.
Priscilla Hernandez
Lead Preschool Teacher
Priscilla has been working in early education with children from 0-5 years old since 2015. She worked for 4 years at Montessori school where she started as a TA and soon moved up the be a Lead Teacher. There she had the opportunity to be mentored by many amazing Montessori trained teachers and took the opportunity to take Montessori classes. Priscilla is passionate about promoting healthy leaving habits in young children and is currently working on her BA in Early Childhood Education. She has completed over 21 units in Early Childhood Education, with 6 units in Montessori training, in addition to her 7 years of experience on the field. Priscilla is a mother of two lovely children and in her free time loves spending time with her family.
Monica Gil
Lead Preschool Teacher
Monica is originally from Amatitlán, Guatemala where she graduated with an AA in education. After graduating college in 1996, Monica started working as a lead preschool teacher at “Centro de Aprestamiento Comunitario de Educacion Pre- escolar”. In 2015 Monica relocated to Los Angeles and started working as a PM Lead teacher at our sister school Yachaywasi. In 2019 she completed a certification from UCLA Extension in Advance Core Early Childhood Education. After working at Yachay for 5 years Monica decided to take on a new project and join the Intiwasi team becoming the lead teacher for our Toddler Transition Classes. Monica is a nurturing teacher and loves forging strong bonds with her students, who all love her. She loves seeing how since and early age children develop a second language painlessly.
Ximena Medina
Lead Preschool Teacher
Ximena Medina was born in the capital city of Quito, Ecuador. At the age of 19, she accepted an invitation to work as a professional full-time au pair in the US (09/2007 – 10/2009). After helping mother, raise, and love both a toddler and an infant for the Gamble Family in both Arizona & California, she returned to Ecuador to study Anthropology at the university level. While living/working in the US, she also studied English in Community College there. She holds a certificate in Academic Excellence in English as a Second Language. She has 15 years of professional teaching experience that includes pre-school, kindergarten, grade school, & high school students, as well as business professional adult students. Her area of specialty & strength lies in creating a positive learning environment via positive reinforcement. Her creative instructing experience fosters discipline, learning skills, and healthy social attitudes in children of all ages. Ultimately, her God-given talent gains the trust and confidence of children, teenagers, adult students, and the parents of those students. What stands out as making her different & unique from other educators is the following: 1) her empathic ability to perceive & recognize the differing individual needs of each child\ 2) her connection to a natural lifestyle that reflects her innate interest to offer a ‘wholistic’ education in nature that includes art, gardening, music, permaculture, & yoga; the ritualistic and its reflection on the human element. A la orden
Andrea Ongaro
Saturday School Instructor
Andrea was born in Argentina. She is from a small city in Buenos Aires province, called Pehuajo, a big town surrounded by farms, green fields, horses and cows. Her entire family is still there. Her childhood and the schools she went to forged her identity. Andrea remembers her childhood as a happy and simple period. After school she and her sister always came back home to have lunch with her parents, and then, after taking “la siesta”, they enjoyed extra activities like volleyball, gymnastics, skating, or enjoying specialty classes like literature, art or choir (I love to sing). Andrea's family felt quality time was of the highest importance and they visited their grandparents every weekend and spent time just sitting and talking--no smart phones--no technology. It was beautiful. \ As an adult, Andrea got her degree in Social Work in Buenos Aires. She graduated in 2009, and worked with Red Cross for a program that helped elderly people. She and her husband moved to San Francisco, CA in 2010. They didn't speak any English-- it was a challenge for them and they are so happy. Andrea started her early childhood education in 2010 as a Spanish teacher for elementary children, all the while continuing her own education and learning English. She fell in love with the children’s world, namely their books, games, playtimes, story times, crayons, legos, their questions, their wide creativity and sense of wonder about the whole universe around them. She worked as a nanny from 2010-2014 and then got her degree in Early Childhood Education and became a preschool teacher. In her spare time she loves hiking with her dog (Violeta), biking, ice skating, painting, doing crafts, baking, meditating, singing and playing music on the drums and ukulele. Andrea is excited to learn and explore with the Intiwasi children!
Jessica Jovel
Associate Preschool Teacher
I’m a firm believer that we attract what we desire. For as long as I can remember I have imagined myself teaching preschool-aged children. Now, I feel blessed for having the privilege of working with wonderful children, teachers, and parents at Intiwasi. I am from El Salvador. I lived there for 19 years before moving to California. I am native Spanish speaker and bring the joy of introducing a second language through songs, play and everyday conversations with the children. I took my college classes here in the United States at El Camino College where I graduated with an Associate of Science degree in Early Childhood Education and I am looking forward to growing and pursuing higher education next year. I discovered my true passion for working with children while teaching catechism at my church in El Salvador. One of my absolute favorite things is being able to spend time in the classrooms playing with our little students. They are an absolute joy and watching them grow and learn is an honor. I see teaching as more than a job but really a mission to contribute on this Earth by guiding the children in my care with love. Children’s curiosity has always inspired me and I am confident that Montessori education fits and becomes a lifelong love for learning.
Elsa Marlenne Ramirez
Teacher's Assistant (TA)
Born and raised in Nayarit, Mexico, Dr. Ramirez, Graduated as Medical Doctor from the School of Medicine at the Autonomous University of Nayarit, Mexico in 2018. Being raised by a family where the majority of members are Preschool teachers, always has influenced her interest for teaching and forming important bonds with children and parents. Since 2018, Dr Ramirez has been involved in medical altruistic humanitarian programs that focused in attending undeserved and socially vulnerable children populations in Mexico. This has propelled her to develop a passion for caring, and aiding children. Dr Ramirez enjoys all aspects of her job, but she has special interests in areas that involve Child Growth and Development, Child Psychology, Early Child Education, and thus her current goal since she migrated is to find a place where her knowledge, skills and her love for children can be of great use.
Leslie Calderon
Teacher's Assistant (TA)
Leslie Calderon is originally from Guatemala. Prior to coming to Intiwasi, she worked at Intiwasi's sister school, Yachaywasi for five years. She has also taught Spanish classes to children ranging from Kindergarten to 5th grade incorporating cooking, dance, movement and more. Leslie loves to cook and spend time with her family.
Adina Hepner
Administrative Consultant
Adi loves helping children and their families explore their worlds. She has a Masters in Social Work and has been working in the nonprofit world since 2007. She consults in the areas of administration, parent/teacher relations, and fundraising.
Analia Rupar-Przebieda
Sports Teacher
Analia was born and raised in Argentina. She studied and obtained a teaching degree in physical education & recreation at the Comahue University in Bariloche-Patagonia, Argentina. While studying, she worked as the activities coordinator for children in a local prestigious 5-star hotel/resort Llao Llao. There she created the Kids Club and all its recreational activities for the children. Analia’s next journey led her to work as a recreational coordinator for adults in the Sheraton Hotel in the city of Pilar near Buenos Aires. She then spent several years as a manager in a travel company offering trips to Argentina. She also developed a Spanish language-based, interactive play class and proposed it to the local parks and recreations department (Burbank's Park & Recreation called *Play and Sing It In Spanish).* The emphasis of the class is on reading and playing music while learning Spanish. Analia has been the Physical Education instructor at Intiwasi and its sister school Yachayhuasi since 2018. Since the Covid pandemic began, she also started a seasonal Outdoor Spanish Camp to offer the children fun activities while exercising and learning Spanish in her area.
Nadia Calmet
Dance Teacher
Nadia Calmet is a professional Peruvian Folk Dance Artist, specializing in Afro Peruvian Dances. She holds a degree in Tourism and Hospitality. Furthermore, Nadia received graduate-level training in Public Policies for Vulnerable Populations, as well as in Arts Therapy, and Intercultural Education. In Peru, Nadia established a solidly successful career as a theater, television, and cinema actress. She currently resides in the City of Los Angeles, California where she works as a teacher of Peruvian Dances and Artivism *(Maestra de Danzas Peruanas y Artivista).* In addition, Nadia is sought after to perform the roles of producer and artistic director. Nadia Calmet’s latest works developed for the stage include *“Candela, Fuerza y Pasión” (Lima), “La Ruta del Tambor” (Seattle), “Juan Palenque” (Lima), “From Perú to the World” (Gran Teatro Nacional del Perú), The Magic of Folklore” (Los Angeles),* and “*Letters from Perú” (Los Angeles).* Nadia currently lectures on Afro Peruvian history and culture as she continues the hard work of research, interpretation, re-interpretation, and demonstration of the dances of the African diaspora. Thanks to her studies in dance and cultural exchanges with organizations such as Barbatuques in Brazil, Conjunto Folklórico Nacional in Cuba, Familia Ayala en Loíza Aldea, Puerto Rico and classes with maestra Awilda Sterling-Duprey in Puerto Rico, Luis Salgado y Revolución Latina in New York, Monica Rojas y el Movimiento Afrolatino de Seattle, as well as in Colombia, Venezuela, and Spain, Nadia has been able to stay true to her mission of sharing her culture with the world. In the City of Los Angeles, she established Afroperuvian Culture Day, to make visible and vindicate the cultural diversity of Peru; a community event that increases its prominence every year. She is the founder and director of the Afroperuvian Cultural Action Center "CEACA Peru" *(Centro de Acción Cultural Afroperuano)* and participated in the Peruvian delegation with the production "PERU: Pachamama" organized by the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington DC. Nadia is an original member of the groundbreaking Millennium Theater group (Kimba Fá). Nadia also toured around the globe as a choreographer and soloist representing Peru in over twenty countries with Peruvian luminaries Eva Ayllón and Cecilia Barraza.
Lisa Park
After School Enrichment Gymnastics Specialist
I am a former competitive gymnast, British Gymnastics qualified gymnastics coach, trampoline coach, and currently a certified Personal fitness trainer. I have my own small business called Fitness 4 Life, training adults and kids helping them fulfill their fitness goals.\ \ I started my gymnastics journey at at 3 and began competing at age 7 wrapping up my last competition at 18 taking the gold medal all around champion in my county. I competed for my county and competed at regional level and at age 7 I was part of a development plan for up and coming young gymnasts. I have such love and passion for the sport I jumped right in at 14 years old coaching kids at the same club I trained at. At this time I also began choreographing girls floor routines which they would then later use in competition. I was able to be an assistant coach to those gymnasts at their competitions. \ The next step was for me to become a qualified coach through BRITISH GYMNASTICS. This meant multiple weekends learning how to teach skills, break down skills, specific conditioning for specific skills, and how to properly spot the gymnastic on each apparatus. You learn theoretical gymnastic knowledge such as emotional, cognitive and biomechanical\ development as well as discipline specific practical skills. At the end of the weekends of intense learning I had to do a practical exam, which meant taking kids through skills and spotting on apparatus whilst being observed.\ The other part of the certification was to take a written test.\ I passed my first certification LEVEL 5-Assistant Club Coach, then went onto passing LEVEL 4-Club Coach, (Club Coach means you can run your our club and teach on your own).\ Finally I passed my PRE SCHOOL AWARD. \ Over the years I have been able to coach gymnastics in many different setting to all ages of kids. It has been very rewarding and fulfilling. I have worked at private gymnastics clubs, sports centers, and come into schools and camps to specifically teach gymnastics. In one particular sports center I was the only gymnastics coach, I set up the equipment and ran my own classes and taught trampolining. \ Gymnastics has been part of my life for so long it fulfills me in every way. I am truly grateful for the experience, lessons, knowledge and skills it has taught me over the years and now I have a chance to share it with others. Gymnastics makes me smile and fills my heart, I’m proud to have been a competitive gymnast, to love my sport and to have the ability to teach and bring joy to others through gymnastics.
Alvaro Carmena-Black
Music Teacher
Alvaro Carmena-Black is a Spanish-American trumpet player who began playing trumpet at the age of seven. Since then, he has been focusing on growing his skills as both a performer and a teacher. Since moving to the United States, Alvaro has been exposed to many different teaching methods and musical styles, from the classical William Adam method to Jazz improvisation. In May 2022, Alvaro graduated from Berklee College of Music with a Bachelor of Music in Brass Performance Studies. As a music educator, Alvaro hopes to pass on his knowledge and experience to his students so they can continue to grow along their musical journey.
Albert Miao
Martial Arts Teacher
Albert Miao is the founder of Turbo Train, a personal training company that specializes in strength conditioning, competitive swimming, and martial arts. He has a desire to show others the benefit of physical movement. At Intiwasi, Albert will be teach kids how to protect themselves as well as how to evade strikes in his martial arts enrichment classes.