MEET OUR STAFF
Jana Roberts: Founder, Director, & Mentor for Beacons of Light class
Jana Roberts has had a desire to start up a school since college and is thrilled and humbled to feel the Lord's hand guide her in this endeavor at this time. She’s always had a deep love of learning. She was the kid you’d find asleep with encyclopedias all over her bed and reading in the car on the way to piano lessons. After getting a B.A. in Humanities at Brigham Young University, she did graduate work at George Wythe College, a college founded by Oliver DeMille (author of A Thomas Jefferson Education). Going to school there was a profound learning experience that changed her life and gave her first-hand experience what a leadership education is like. She then taught English, U.S. government and Humanities at Paradigm High School, a charter school that also espouses Thomas Jefferson Education. When she left, the director said he was losing one of his best mentors. She recently wrote (and carried out) the Miracle of America class which was a wonderful experience for her and the students alike. She also has licensed the curriculum to other learning institutions to help distribute it to more students. This inspired her to create and organize more classes to serve more students and to form this mircoschool. Jana has four beautiful children whom she has homeschooled from the beginning. Homeschooling and education are her great passions. She also loves the outdoors, holistic medicine, gardening, playing the piano, good conversations, and meeting new people. Most of all, Jana loves her fun and supportive husband, her four wonderful children, her encouraging parents and siblings, and the temple.
Steven Roberts: Co-Founder, Financial Director, and mentor for Key of Liberty
Steven has a passion for teaching and has had many teaching opportunities throughout his life such as positions as a tutor, research assistant, teaching assistant, gospel doctrine teacher, and teacher of a college finance course he created. As a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he spoke Spanish and found joy in connecting with people through food, humor, and the gospel. Steven is a published author and has written on finance and religious topics. He also loves public speaking and has won first place in regional awards with Toastmaster’s International and has also been an I.E.E.E. Distinguished Speaker. Steven attended Brigham Young University where he was honored with the Hinckley Scholarship. He graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering and minored in Mathematics. He currently works as an electrical engineer, but his great love is teaching, especially teaching the gospel and is grateful to be the gospel doctrine teacher of his ward at this time. He also enjoys cooking, studying religion, hiking, patriotism, and helping people.
Varci Figuerres: Assistant Director & Mentor for Leadership
Varci Smedley Figuerres enjoys playing the piano, singing, traveling, dabbling with learning languages, and going on walks in nature. She is married with three beautiful daughters ages 12, 10 and 10. She currently teaches Let’s Play Music, tutors with the RISE Reading Program, and teaches the The Signers of the Declaration of Independence class through Belle Ame at Home clubs. She wrote the curriculum for the previously mentioned class and has enjoyed learning more about all 56 signers of the Declaration and all their inspiring stories! She has a passion for history - especially Colonial/early American history. She earned a bachelors degree from Brigham Young University with a double major in history and Russian, and a minor in music. She received a masters degree from the University of Utah and taught elementary school at a private school and public school until she had kids. She served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Russia and taught English in China. Varci is full of life, connects well with the students and brings a brightness and energy to the classroom.
Coming Soon: Mentor for Miracle of America
Lindy Huling: Mentor for Around the Hearth
Lindy Huling is an art and adventure enthusiast with a passion for creative learning. She studied interior design and management at Brigham Young University before working as a commercial interior architect and coaching girls lacrosse on the side. After earning a master’s degree in Architecture from Virginia Tech, she became a tenure-track professor and enjoyed connecting with students and designing curriculum to foster their growth. Lindy is a caring, enthusiastic, and inventive educator with experience guiding young children as a Joy School instructor and in various church roles, including primary president, counselor, and teacher. She loves nature, travel, inspiring music, creative projects, skiing with her family, and planning meaningful experiences.
Annika Jensen: Mentor for Engineering: Living in Space
Annika Jensen is the founder and executive director of the Douglas Space and Science Foundation. She has been passionate about all things STEM her entire life. Attending, volunteering, and working at Astro Camp as a youth fueled the flame for her interest in space exploration. She earned her BS in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering from Utah State University in 2011, with a minor in German for fun. She participated in the USLI NASA competition, helping lead her rocket team to a national championship. Annika founded and directed her own STEM summer camp program in Houston, TX, before returning to Utah to take over as director of the Astro Camp program. In her non-science-program-running time, Annika loves to adventure with her nerdy husband and their four brilliant kiddos.
TBA: Mentor for Wonders of Earth