michiko@firstclassprep.com

Michiko Squires lives on the edge…of the Everglades! She graduated the University of Miami with a double major in Biology and Computer Science (and minor in Mathematics). She was awarded the National Science Foundation’s scholarship for her work in these fields.

At First Class Prep, Michiko tutors high school and college students in all science subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Physics), including all AP and SAT II subject exams. She credits her passion and background in science for her ability to inspire students and help them achieve outstanding results. “My background is Science and also Math. It’s what I’m passionate about and I love igniting that same passion within students.”

Outside of First Class Prep, Michiko has worked with the National Park Service in Biscayne National Park, Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. During this time, Michiko was involved in data management and outreach programs related to air quality, water quality, phenology and environmental awareness and protection. As a Park Ranger at Biscayne National Park, Michiko researched, composed, designed and illustrated “Wreck Ashore,” an educational and interactive interpretive Flash program exposing cultural and natural resources of Biscayne National Park to adults and students. She also implemented educational components to reflect State of Florida Educational Standard for 6th-9th grades in Math, Language Arts and Science.

As a Biological Science Technician, Michiko held a critical data management position on the Incident Command Team for National Park Service Baseline Assessment and Response to BP Oil Spill in July 2010. Michiko maintained a chain of custody of collected water and sediment samples, managing field data sheets and photo documentation, preserving collected information in Microsoft Access Databases and QA/QC data from Biscayne National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, and DeSoto National Memorial.

luke@firstclassprep.com

Luke graduated Dickinson College with an English major and an extensive background in writing. While in college, he was hired as a freelance columnist and amassed a readership of 300,000, including media subscribers: The New York Times, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, CNBC and Bloomberg.

Many of Luke’s students have achieved perfect scores on the Reading and Writing sections of the SAT. In addition to SAT and ACT tutoring, Luke helps students with their college essays and academic classes. “The SAT and ACT are both predictable tests. Whether it’s Reading or Math, students need quick solutions and repetition. We make sure our students are learning the tricks they need while simultaneously building important problem solving skills. Kids appreciate our teaching style and passion, and you can see the results when test scores come back.” At Dickinson, Luke’s senior thesis juxtaposed the post-traumatic effects of war on the personal lives of authors Ernest Hemingway and J.D. Salinger and the stylistic and symptomatic results of this trauma exhibited in each author’s short story prose.

For college applications, Luke draws on his extensive writing experience to help First Class students overcome the fears and false-starts associated with writing. “Quality writing has never been an easy task for anyone, including the world’s best writers. It’s an arduous and meticulous process. We help instill the confidence and strategy students need in order to do well, and we’re with them every step of the way.”

margaret@firstclassprep.com

Margaret graduated Boston College cum laude with an English major and concentration in writing. An award-winning Assistant Editor at Disney’s Hyperion Books imprint (NYC), Margaret’s recent acquisitions include the novel “Home” by Jessica Blank and “Spoon” by acclaimed children’s book author Amy Krause Rosenthal.

“I’ve always been a voracious reader,” says Cardillo, who reads up to two hundred manuscripts in a given year for Disney. Her passion for reading and writing, as well as her expertise in the admissions process make Margaret a vital member of the First Class team. Aside from her talents as writer and editor, Margaret’s experience spans volunteer-work for the admissions office at Boston College. “I loved my time at Boston College.

It seemed a natural extension to work for the admissions department.” While pursuing a degree at the highly prestigious and competitive college, Margaret took time out to meet with prospective students and their parents. “It’s something I’ll never forget,” she says. Recalling her own quest to college, Margaret says “Filling out college applications can be daunting and tedious. But I had a strategy and clear goals and I got into my top choices.” Today, Margaret spends her time helping high schoolers reach similar levels of success. “Working with First Class, I’m able to help high school students find their way.

julio@firstclassprep.com

Julio graduated cum laude from Harvard University with a degree in History and Literature. After graduating in 2003, he returned to the Miami-Dade County school system, this time as an AP teacher and SAT coach, establishing and teaching classes for a nationally competitive math honor society.

Several of Julio’s students have scored in the highest percentile on the SAT, ACT, AP and SAT II math sections. Leveraging his vast teaching and tutoring experience, Julio is able to simplify questions for both students who struggle and students who excel in math. “We help students maximize their potential in math. Besides teaching tricks, we teach the underlying principles tested in the SAT.

This way students are prepared to answer every question they face on the test. It’s a winning strategy that other test prep companies and tutors cannot replicate because of the skill and patience required.We take tremendous pride in our results.” In addition to the SAT and ACT, Julio tutors academic subjects, including Algebra and Algebra II, Geometry, Trig, Pre-Calc and Calc.

He is currently planning a summer math tutoring program to help middle school and high school students prepare for next year’s math classes. This program will identify a student’s particular strengths and weaknesses, thoroughly review the most important concepts from the previous year, and cover every major topic from the upcoming school year–all before the first day of class.

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