Hope Learning Center
Lomita, CA
Welcome
to Hope!
The mission of Hope Learning Center is to support the academic needs of K-12 youth and their families in the South Bay Area.
In particular, we aim to provide a safe and enriching environment for students from immigrant backgrounds and help them navigate the US School System.
Our Director
Nari (Naotaro) Kato
Nari is a proud native of the North Torrance: a unique, multilingual community that cemented his values for educational equity.
After graduating from North Torrance High School in 2017, Nari moved to Providence, Rhode Island to attend Brown University. At Brown, Nari completed his Bachelor of Arts in Education Studies, with an emphasis in human development. In particular, he focused on the topic of giving effective and meaningful support for English Language Learners (ELLs).
Aside from his undergraduate studies, Nari was a committed Adult English Instructor for the non-profit organization English for Action (Inglés en Acción) and Providence Public Library's Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative (RIFLI). He taught adults from over 15 countries (including Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Nigeria and China) and received the 2021 Abelardo Hernández Community Engagement Award for his work.
From 2021-2022, Nari continued his studies at Brown's Department of Education to obtain a Master of Arts in Teaching for Secondary Mathematics Education. After completing his one-year residency at Hope High School (Providence Public Schools), he received his teaching certification in the Ocean State.
Outside of his classroom teaching, Nari is also a strong advocate for the Japanese community in the LA South Bay. He grew up in a full-Japanese household and attended Asahi Gakuen (あさひ学園), Southern California's largest Saturday Japanese School for 11 years. Nari is the founder of TASKI (たすき), an education support group for Japanese parents and youth.
Nari is excited to bring his knowledge and experience back to the South Bay! He hopes to create a learning environment where all students feels belonging, excitement and a sense of self-voice.
Our Programs
After School Program
Monday - Friday, 2:00-6:30pm
The After School Program serves students from Grades K-8.
After School Program Activities Include:
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Homework Support
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Japanese School Homework Support
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Post-HW Activities (Mastery Cycle)
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Extra English Language Support
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Extra Japanese-Language Support
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Free Play
Teen Homework Support Program
Tuesday-Thursday, 6:30-8:30pm
The Teen HW Support Program serves students from Grades 8-12.
Students will work closely with the teacher in 60-minute sessions. Each session will have 2-4 students.
In addition to personalized assistance on completing homework assignments, students can also request preparation for upcoming quizzes and tests, and reteaching of confusing concepts from school.
Full-Day Care for Special Occasions
On certain days with no school, Hope Learning Center will provide full-day child care. Full-Day Care is for students in Grades K-12. Families will be notified when Full-Day Care is coming up.
Our Values
・Engaging students deeply and meaningfully.
・Encouraging students to discover the joy of learning.
・Embracing multilingualism and multiculturalism.
Engaging students deeply and meaningfully. - We work with students in small-group settings and tend to specific student needs.
Encouraging students to discover the joy of learning. - We prepare fun activities and high-quality play that excite students AND push them academically.
Embracing multilingualism and multiculturalism. - We celebrate the students' home languages and heritage. We offer homework support for local Saturday Japanese Schools. We give English Language Development (ELD) instruction for newcomer/ELL-labeled students.