MEET THE TEAM
At Mareas, we are committed to creating a caring, child-centered academic environment, where freedom and flexibility go hand in hand with learning from the most qualified teachers in the Samara area.
Lenina Araya Orocu
Founder & Director,
Lenina is a native of San Jose, Costa Rica, where she completed her studies at the Universidad de Santa Paula with a specialization in Special Education, with an emphasis on Speech Therapy. She has worked exclusively with children for the last 25 years and truly enjoys the time spent with them, nurturing them as they grow and learn. Her other passions are reading, riding her bicycle, and spending time with her family.
Miroslava Castro
Presschool- Kindergarten
Teacher
Miroslava Castro is from Caracas, Venezuela, Teacher in Preschool Education, she studied at the Pedagogical Institute of Caracas which is a university where teachers specialized in pedagogy are trained, she is also a Sensei of Karate-Do 4th Dan which she is passionate about. She currently has 2 Dojos in Samara and Nosara soon in Nicoya. She has worked with children for 30 years in different areas as a teacher, Sensei, with academic reinforcements, recreator and babysitter, she loves working with children because with a smile or a hug from them her day is filled with color. She loves to play sports, walk, read and watch movies. She is happy to belong to the Mareas Academy team starting her 7th year and always giving her best for the well-being of our community.
Nadine Howell
Presschool- Kindergarten
Teacher
Nadine is from Southern,Ontario, Canada where she gained her Early Childhood Education diploma and her Honours Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood studies. Her energetic spirit and passion for educating young children is apparent with her 25+ years of teaching in the classroom. When not teaching, Nadine loves to spend time with her friends and family, cook, bake and hang out at the beach.
Carrlene McDavid
1st-2nd Grade Teacher,
English, Science, Math and Social Studies.
Carlene is delighted to return to Maraes Academy as the Gr. 1/2 teacher. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Carlene has made her home in Sámara over the past year and is grateful to contribute to the beautiful community that already lives here. Carlene completed her Bachelor of Education at the University of Toronto. Carlene is certified to teach in all Primary, Junior and Intermediate divisions, with a specialty in teaching English. Carlene has taught at several private schools throughout Toronto "My responsibility to my students is to guide them towards realizing their gifts. To help them uncover what lights them up and what they have to offer the world. The students make me laugh and push me to grow, just as much as I push them to grow. Teaching is the most rewarding job one can experience, and I am incredibly grateful for my students’ trust and curiosity.”
Diego Salas
5th - 11th Grade Math and STEAM teacher
Diego is native of Alajuela, Costa Rica where he completed his studies at the Universidad de Costa Rica. He is a Professor of Mathematics at Universidad Central , a private university.
He likes to practice soccer and volleyball, also likes listening to music and playing videogames.
Melissa Jimenez
Grades 1st - 11th Spanish and Spanish as a Second Language, Social Studies from Costa Rica and Economics for the upper grades.
Costa Rican economist, native of Playa Sámara, Guanacaste. She loves reading, practicing sports. She has worked in several universities in the country as a teacher of Social and Economic Sciences degrees. She has been a member of the Mareas Academy family for 5 years, and this year 2022-2023 she will teach Spanish and Social Studies classes for non-native speakers.
Nicolás Tejada
1st-9th Grades, Spanish and and Social Studies from Costa Rica
Originally from Cusco, Peru, Nicolas studied Hispanic Literature at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and later completed a Master degree in Education and Social Justice in Madrid. In the educational field, Nicolas had the opportunity to teach in alternative schools in different cities of Peru. In which he collaborated in the development of participatory methodologies for children and teenagers. Also, he worked at university as a teaching assistant of philosophy and narrative courses. Nicolas believes that his educational labor is an opportunity to show that tenderness is revolutionary
Stephanie Rangel
5th-12th Grade, Science and STEAM Teacher
Stephanie is Mexican, born in Mexico City. She has a Bachelor's degree in Biology and a Master's degree in Science in Natural Resources and Rural Development. She has worked constantly on environmental education issues. She is very passionate about field work, and she loves it when her students share with her the love and respect she has for nature and all the beings that live in it. What she enjoys most about teaching science classes is being able to appreciate live and direct all the wonders that the environment has for us.
Isabella Di Capua
Assistant
Isabella is our third student to graduate from high school. She has decided to take a gap year before defining what she wants to do in her future. This year she has the opportunity to work at Mareas as an assistant and she is very excited to be part of the educational experience of our students.
Hillary Campos
Assistant
Hillary was born in San José; she is 25 years old and has three girls who attend Mareas. She is currently studying to be a bilingual preschool technician, and this is the second year that she works with us.
She has really enjoyed her experience as an assistant to the little ones at school.
Silvia Rangel
Preschool Assistant
Silvia is originally from Estrada de Hojancha, Costa Rica. She is 44 years old and has 3 children. She has been part of the Mareas family for 10 years and for four years she has been a preschool assistant.
Paulina Fahle
Assistant
Paulina is studying social work in Germany and is doing her practical semestre at Mareas. She will stay for half a year. After finishing school and before starting university she did volunteering for one year at a school and kindergarten in Thailand. She loves going to the beach and meeting friends in her freetime.