Alumni Spotlight: Full Circle—How Da Vinci Alum Angeline Cuevas Returned to Inspire the Next Generation
Some stories come full circle in the most meaningful ways. Angeline Cuevas’ journey is one of them. After attending Wiseburn Middle School, Angeline went on to graduate from Da Vinci Design in the Class of 2020. She grew up in classrooms shaped by collaboration, creativity, and connection. Today, she stands on the other side of the desk—as a passionate Core 4 Teacher at Da Vinci Connect TK-8—bringing those same values to a new generation of students.
Her path back to Da Vinci was made possible through the Alder Graduate School of Education Teacher Residency Program, a hands-on, immersive pathway that prepares future teachers by placing them directly in classrooms while they earn their Master’s Degree and a California Teaching Credential in one year. Residents learn alongside experienced mentor teachers in a supportive teacher-training program, receive personalized coaching, and gain a full year of real classroom experience before becoming full-time teachers. For Da Vinci, Alder has become one of the most effective ways to “grow within,” developing educators who already understand our culture, our students, and our mission.
A Community That Stayed With Angeline
When Angeline thinks back on her years at Da Vinci Design, she doesn’t just remember completing assignments. She remembers learning by doing. She remembers designing and building projects from scratch, collaborating with classmates, presenting her work, and learning to trust her own voice.
At the time, she didn’t realize those moments were quietly shaping her future. Today she sees it clearly. “Now that I’m a teacher within Da Vinci Schools, I see those experiences from a completely different perspective,” she reflects. “They were building my confidence and preparing me for my future.”
For Angeline, Da Vinci Schools was never just a school; it was a community where relationships mattered. She remembers feeling known, supported, and encouraged to grow. That sense of belonging stayed with her long after graduation. “Da Vinci is a close‑knit community,” she says. “Even years later, that’s one of the biggest reasons coming back felt so natural.”
Skills That Followed Her into College—and Back into the Classroom
Signature practices at Da Vinci, including presentations of learning, project-based learning, and collaboration, taught Angeline how to communicate, advocate for herself, and explain her thinking. Those skills carried her through college at California State University, Dominguez Hills, where she earned a B.A. in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Early Learning and Teaching, and later earned her Master’s in Education from Alder Graduate School of Education, and now they shape her daily life as an educator.
“Da Vinci taught me that learning isn’t just about getting the right answer,” she shares. “It’s about being able to explain your thinking, work with others, reflect, and grow.”
Today, she finds herself teaching the very skills she once practiced as a student.
“Collaboration, presentations, reflection—those are things I experienced as a student that I now help facilitate for my own students. One of the coolest parts of teaching at Connect TK-8 is realizing that some of the things I’m asking my students to do are things I once did as a Da Vinci student myself.”
Returning Home to Teach
After graduating at Cal State Dominguez Hills, Angeline knew she wanted to become a teacher. Returning to Da Vinci felt like the most natural next step. “Becoming a paraeducator at Connect gave me the chance to experience Da Vinci from the educator side,” she says. “It confirmed that teaching was exactly what I wanted to do.”
From paraeducator to Alder Resident to earning her master’s degree, Angeline’s journey has been one of steady growth. “It feels very full circle,” she says. “Being able to give back to a community that played such an important role in my own education means so much to me.”
“When I first started as a paraeducator at Da Vinci Connect, I worked in Robin Brown’s first- and second-grade classroom. At the time, I was still learning what it truly meant to be a teacher, and Robin was someone I learned so much from simply by working alongside her and watching the way she showed up for her students every day. She taught and modeled so many things that I carried with me into my student teaching and that I now find myself using in my own classroom.
What makes it even more special is that Robin is now my principal. Someone who was there during one of the earliest stages of my journey as an educator is still here supporting me now that I have my own classroom. There’s something really meaningful about being able to look back and see how much I’ve grown while still having someone in my corner who saw me when I was just getting started. I’m incredibly grateful for the support she gave me then and continues to give me now.”
Showing Up as an Alum—and as a Teacher
Angeline’s experience as a Da Vinci alum deeply influences how she supports her students today. She knows firsthand that presenting, collaborating with new peers, and tackling challenging projects can feel intimidating at first. “Because I experienced those same things, I can remind my students that there’s a purpose behind them,” she says. “Those experiences really do prepare you for life beyond school.”
What She Hopes Her Students Take With Them
More than anything, Angeline wants her students to leave her classroom believing in themselves. “I hope they feel comfortable making mistakes, asking questions, challenging themselves, and being proud of their growth,” she says. “I want them to become confident, kind, collaborative people who believe in their own capabilities.”
Defining Success—In Her Own Way
As a first‑year classroom teacher, Angeline knows she’s still learning every day. But she also knows what success looks like to her. “Success isn’t about having everything figured out,” she says. “It’s about continuing to grow and making a positive impact on the people around me. If my students feel supported, challenged, cared for, and excited to come to school, that is success to me.”
How the Alder Residency Is Shaping the Future of Teaching at Da Vinci
At Da Vinci Schools, the path to becoming a teacher doesn’t always begin with a credential—it often begins with a spark. A moment in a classroom where someone realizes I could do this. I want to do this.
For the past several years, the Alder Graduate School of Education Teacher Residency Program has been the bridge between that spark and a fully prepared, deeply supported new educator. And for Da Vinci, the partnership has become one of the most reliable ways to grow talented teachers who already understand our culture, our students, and our mission.
A Residency Model That Works
Da Vinci Schools joined the Alder consortium several years ago, which is now a network of 18 schools across Southern California committed to preparing teachers through immersive, hands-on residency experiences. Between 2022 and 2025, Da Vinci hired seven of the nine teachers who completed the one-year program. Three additional Alder-trained teachers were also hired after completing their residencies at other schools.
Meeting High-Need Areas Head-On
Historically, Da Vinci focused on recruiting residents in areas such as math, science, and special education. This year marks a turning point. For the first time, Da Vinci is expanding into multiple subjects, including TK–8, in response to rising demand and the evolving needs of our schools.
A Clear Path Into the Classroom
The residency is demanding, pairing full-time classroom immersion with graduate coursework. A stipend helps offset the demands of the residency year. But the payoff is real: residents step into their first year of teaching with confidence, mentorship, and a strong sense of belonging.
"One of my favorite parts of the Alder program was being able to learn something through my graduate coursework and then actually apply it in the classroom. The residency gave me the opportunity to learn by doing, make mistakes, reflect, and continue growing. By the time I stepped into my own classroom, I felt like I already had so many experiences to pull from," shared Angeline.
One of the most compelling aspects of the residency model is the transition into full-time teaching. At Da Vinci, teachers who complete the Alder program receive priority consideration for teaching positions the following year, creating a clear pathway from residency to the classroom and reflecting the depth of hands-on experience they gain during their residency year.
Mentors Who Make the Difference
Behind every successful resident is a mentor who guides, supports, and champions them. This year’s Da Vinci Alder mentors are Viviana Navarro, Frank Divinagracia, and Chantal Tejaratchi. Viviana, a Da Vinci alum and special education teacher at Da Vinci Communications, completed the Alder program herself and now gives back by mentoring new residents—a powerful example of how the residency creates a cycle of learning, mentorship, and leadership. She recently shared her journey and the impact of the residency model at a Da Vinci Board meeting.
How to Apply
Ready to take the next step toward becoming a teacher? Applications are now open for the 2027-28 Da Vinci Schools Teacher Residency at Alder GSE Program, with four Alder Residents planned to join Da Vinci Schools for the 2027-28 school year.
Alder’s application process is intentionally accessible. The early deadline is October 9, but rolling applications continue throughout the year. Interviews are online and designed to remove barriers rather than create them. Residents have access to a stipend, financial aid, and scholarships.
Angeline’s story is a powerful example of what can happen when a school community invests in its own people—and when those people return to help shape the next generation.
Thank you, Angeline, for sharing your story and inspiring future generations of Da Vincians!
