Meet Your Mentors

Mr. Salch

MENTOR

Mr. Salch is a retired tech executive and experienced teacher who has successfully taught over 10,000 students across several platforms, schools, and approaches. Mr. Salch has perfected the art of online teaching with hands-on activities in an exciting and inviting environment.

Check out Mr. Salch Robotics NEW ROBOT! Course

Ms. Jackson

MENTOR

Ms. Jackson has been teaching theatre for 26 years and was also a children's performer for ten of those years. She owns a theatre program and puts on a show after every 20 hours of instruction (almost 60 shows in six years!). Ms. Jackson teaches children ages 3-20.

Check out Ms. Jackson Theatre: Putting On a Play , Pre-Creative & Creative Writing, Essay Writing, Friendship Social Club, Parent Social Club Courses

Amy Bechtol

MENTOR

Amy loves getting to work with her students, who often share a neurology similar to her own, connecting them to curriculum in a way that is meaningful, novel, and fun. Utilizing a strength-based model, Amy seeks to engage learners by allowing them to connect their best, most authentic selves to the material.

Check out Amy’s Art Club, Guns, Germs, and Steel, Kerbal Space, Digital Art, Technical Drawing, Young Scholars Fellowship, Weapons of Mass Communication, Anime & Japanese Culture Courses

Miss Anna

MENTOR

Miss Anna is an experienced youth mentor and educator of 10+ years who leads each class with humor, kindness, and an upbeat attitude while sending out positive vibes….. to encourage her students to do the same!

Miss Anna fosters a true love for play-based learning and enjoys helping kids create meaningful friendships at YSA by creating fun and engaging activities that help kiddos truly feel seen, heard, and valued in her warm and welcoming virtual classroom.

Check out Miss Anna’s Animal Crossing , Girls Club Courses

Megan Hardy

MENTOR

Megan Hardy is a Professional DM and Mother to neurodivergent kids. She loves role playing games, science fiction, comics and just about anything geeky. She is an expert at building D&D campaigns around individual needs and has taught over 4000 students!

Check out Megan’s DND Course

Nelson Dean

MENTOR

Nelson Dean has been an educator for the last twenty years, working with students of all ages and backgrounds teaching music, history, art history, and English. He has been a STAR teacher award recipient and teacher of the year semi-finalist.

Check out Nelson’s Tools of War Course

Mr. Z

MENTOR

Mr. Z is a highly experienced and actively certified educator with a Master of Science: Curriculum and Instruction VI degree and multiple active teaching certifications including School Library Media Technology Specialist (PreK-12th grade), English Language Arts (multiple certifications across multiple grade ranges), and more.

Check out Mr. Z’s Math 4 Life: Coolest Math Class Ever, Cryptography & Hacking, 3D Printing, Linux Club, Blender: Creating 3D Animations, AI Fundamentals, Game Theory, Stats, & More, AP Calculus Prep, SAT, Calculus, Geometry Courses

Nicole P

MENTOR

Nicole P, M. Ed is an educator, proud parent, mom, serial entrepreneur, artist, case worker, and author with degrees in education, sociology, psychology, philosophy, and more! Nicole believes in bringing students together through story
and games.

Check out Nicole’s History Detectives, Level Up: Internet Safety & Gaming , Horrifying History: Echoes from the Dark, Ghost Stories & Creepy Legends - Courses

Ms. Wish

MENTOR

Ms. Wish is a homeschooling mom, lifelong gamer, and former private school teacher who teaches social gaming clubs where kids develop important social skills while playing their favorite online games, all while keeping the environment safe and age-appropriate. As Maria Montessori said, “Play is the work of the child,” and Ms. Wish embraces the digital world where so much play happens. 

Check out Miss Wish’s Among Us Social Class, Roblox In Server Gameplay & Social Skills Courses

Mr. Mark

MENTOR

Mr. Mark is a father to active, Neurodivergent boys. He believes that neurodivergent students have the highest level of intelligence, yet they are under-served in almost every classroom. His main takeaway as a teacher is that we are all passionate and excited about learning. We are all born with a growth mindset, especially Neurodivergent learners.

Check out Mr. Mark’s Science Explorers Continuum Course

Ms. Katie

MENTOR

Ms. Katie has also been teaching in a variety of settings for over 5 years, from virtual school, to one-on-one music lessons. As a former 2e student, and lifelong learner, she understands the complexity in all people, and the importance of not forcing anyone into a box. Her teaching style is one of adaptability and innovation, allowing each student's unique strengths to flourish.

Check out Katie’s Advocacy & Activism , Film Scholars Club, GSA/LGBTQ+, Songwriting Courses

Miss Alex

MENTOR

Miss Alex has been a STEAM and art educator for 8 years, as well as a homeschool parent, teacher, and advisor for nearly a decade. She applies an eclectic approach to teaching, seeing herself as more of a facilitator and fellow life-long learner than lecturer.

Check out Miss Alex’s STEAM Lab, Mythical Creatures Drawing Lab, Brain Lab: Grow Your Own Thinking Skills Courses

Jennifer Hughes

MENTOR

Coach Hughes is a retired criminal, international and family court attorney. She has taught both in person and online middle and high school for over fifteen years and was the History Department Chair at a non-traditional charter school. She also was an Associate Criminal Justice Professor and has over thirty years of experience.

Check out Coach Hughes's Mock Trial, Speech & Debate, Public Speaking, US Government (NON AP), Courses

Malikai Bass

MENTOR

Malikai Bass is a twice exceptional (profoundly gifted/ autistic adhder with dyspraxia/dysgraphia) life-long learner who has been teaching twice-exceptional students virtually for the past four years. He has worked with over a thousand students in classrooms that center, celebrate, and affirm neurodiversity.

Check out Malikai’s Chess: Applied Exec Function, Rubik's Cubing, Young Scholars Fellowship Courses

Miss L

MENTOR

Miss L's classroom is a safe, welcoming space where students can be themselves, learn at their own pace, and feel truly supported. She is known for being patient, kind, flexible, and clear in her teaching. Whether your child needs extra encouragement or just someone who “gets” them, Miss L. here to help them shine.

Check out Miss L’s Minecraft All Editions, Minecraft Bedrock Survive & Thrive In Server, Among Us Social Class, Roblox In Server Gameplay & Social Skills, Roblox Dandy’s World, Geometry Dash Courses

Sean Troy

MENTOR

Sean can’t believe how much fun he’s been having teaching YSA kids from around the world about our beautiful planet and the amazing wonders that stretch to each and every corner of our world! One of Sean's passions is Dungeons and Dragons adventures and he loves having students join us as they build confidence and grow together.

Check out Sean’s , Fan Fiction, Wonders of the World, DND Courses

Mr. Jake

MENTOR

Jake Noonan is a dynamic educator with over 10 years teaching neurodivergent students and specializes as an Academic Coach for gifted and ADHD learners. He holds an MFA in Humanities and co-hosts a neurodiversity podcast. Jake embodies the creative, multidimensional learning he champions—producing music, drumming in bands, writing fiction, and creating digital art—making him a natural fit for students who thrive outside conventional boundaries.

Check out Jake’s Creating a You tube Channel, Esports Tournament, Philosophy & Big Ideas, Outcast Courses

Jenny

MENTOR

Jenny is a neurodivergent educator with a Philosophy degree who transforms learning through pop culture, critical thinking, and pure fun. She's taught community-based classes for five years and brings her experience as a comic book reviewer, lifelong gamer, and toy collector into every lesson. Using video games, trivia, books, and interactive activities, Jenny creates inclusive, flexible classes where students think outside the box, explore their interests, and thrive on their own terms—proving that school can look completely different when you break the traditional mold.

Check out Jenny’s KPop Demon Hunters Papercraft, Pokemon Papercraft, Dandy’s World Papercraft, Mario Multiplication, Minecraft Multiplication Courses

Hushbeck

MENTOR

Hushbeck grew up with a 2E brother in rural Oklahoma, where they both loved learning but struggled with traditional school—anxiety for her, unmet ADHD/Autism needs for him. Now a Teacher of the Year with dual BAs in Political Science and Journalism from the University of Oklahoma and membership in the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Society, she creates the inclusive, flexible learning environment she wished existed when she was a student. A citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, Kylie meets every student where they are and helps them thrive through open dialogue and authentic connection—whether in her public school classroom, summer camps, or online at YSA

Check out Hushbeck’s Adulting N Thriving & Executive Function Skills Yung N Thriving Courses