From Pastries to Preschool: Kiara’s Story
Kiara providing childcare at our Conversation Club in November 2023.
Kiara's journey to becoming an early childhood educator is deeply rooted in her upbringing in Peru, where her mother's nearly 40-year teaching career instilled in her a love for learning. Initially intrigued by her aunt’s pastry business and her own budding passion for creating pastries, Kiara enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu Institute in Peru and applied what she learned as she worked her way up to lead pastry chef at a restaurant.
Despite her success in the culinary world, Kiara yearned for greater opportunities and a new adventure. She immigrated to the United States in 2019 with her brother’s support and quickly enrolled in English as a second language classes, understanding the importance of strengthening her English. Living with her two young nieces, Kiara spent much time helping them with their homework and teaching them new things. She discovered her natural talent for working with children, her immense joy in watching them develop and grow, and her calling as an early educator. This career combined her love for nurturing young minds with the opportunity to introduce them to the art of pastry.
When she joined Upward Scholars in 2022, Kiara received invaluable support through tutoring, our English Conversation Club, and guidance on selecting suitable courses in the proper sequence, as well as monthly grocery gift cards. Then, in 2023, Kiara began enrolling in early childhood education classes at Cañada College, supported by the Upward Scholars TeacherUp program. As a TeacherUp student, Upward Scholars provided Kiara with specialized support in early education and incentivized her academic and professional development, providing stipends for completing courses and workshops. Upward Scholars also hired Kiara to provide quality childcare for our special events and referred her to childcare opportunities with partner organizations, allowing her to further her professional development.
In the spring of 2025, TeacherUp invited Kiara to intern with Footsteps, Inc., where she gained invaluable experience working with sixteen young children in a structured environment under the supervision of a Master Teacher, further confirming her passion for nurturing young minds. Her diligent work even earned her a part-time job offer as an assistant teacher, which she excitedly accepted. While working, Kiara earned an associate’s degree in early childhood education from Cañada College in May and will transfer to San Francisco State University this fall to pursue a bachelor's degree.
During the next phase of her journey, she will have the flexibility to simultaneously gain professional experience and further her education, all with the help of Upward Scholars and TeacherUp. As she prepares to transfer to SFSU, Kiara shared, “This is a huge step for me, and Upward Scholars and TeacherUp have been instrumental in this process. Even though I’m still nervous about this next step, I know that TeacherUp has prepared me for this moment.”
Give generously today to provide students like Kiara with the resources and support they need to reach their educational and professional goals!