Welcome to Destiny Academy!
We want to be the difference in your child’s life!
We are a private, Christian preschool & kindergarten that specializes in early childhood education.
As research has shown that a significant portion of the brain’s physiological growth takes place during the early years of life, it is very important that your child is provided with stimulation that facilitates the development of their social, motor, cognitive, creative, and emotional skills and progressions.
So, to ensure our programs foster a conducive learning environment, we adhere to curriculum and tactics that are designed to advance children through their individual developmental stages.
While our accredited teachers present material that is structured, our lesson plans are adaptive and flexible to the needs of each child, as to not restrict or hinder different learning styles.
Pastor Adrienne Smith
Founder, Destiny Academy
Co-Pastor New Destiny, Inc.
In 1999 Pastor Smith was instrumental in the establishment of our church, New Destiny, and has since served and led in many capacities and ministries. Along with spearheading women and children, her newest endeavor has been to create a Christian-based foundation for preschoolers and kindergarteners, by teaching the value of love, education, compassion and equality at Destiny Academy. In conjunction with such notable stamps on the community, she has also worked in the medical field for over 25 years, is an early childhood education teacher, and a loving mother to three daughters and a grandson.
Jo-Anna Blama
|Lead Teacher, Destiny Academy
Jo-Anna Blama was born in Libera, West Africa and graduated from Merritt College with a certificate in Early Childhood Development. She has worked with children for over 20 years and is happily married with four children. Mrs. Jo-Anna is a believer of Jesus Christ, and has experience with our Abeka Curriculum, which emphasizes teaching and nurturing our students with biblical principles.
Ashley Nagy
|Teacher, Destiny Academy
Ashley is a Bay Area native. She studied child development at Los Medanos College where she received her Associates Degree, along with multiple permits related to child development. She has been teaching young children for a little over 5 years and feels it’s truly where God intended her career path! She and her husband got married in 2020 and they have two adorable kittens! She is very excited to be a part of the Destiny Academy team and is thankful to God everyday for her students, families, and loving Christian coworkers! Her favorite saying is, “Let God do what He does best, Do!”
Shannon Perez
|Teaching Staff, Destiny Academy
Shannon Perez is a Bay Area native, born and raised. She studied Early Childhood Development at Saddleback College and is passionate about her work with children. She is on a new quest to help build God’s next generation and future and comes from a strong background of community and customer support. Shannon is a believer in Jesus Christ and is a proud woman of God. She loves coffee, road trips and is a loving fur mama to her cat, Symba. Her favorite scripture is Proverbs 31:25-26, as she values strength, dignity, wisdom, and kindness.
Board of Directors.
Dr. Tacey Rodgers
Dr. Tacey Rodgers began her career in education serving in Contra Costa County school district's Adult Education programs. She earned an undergraduate degree in English Literature, a Master of Arts degree in English TESOL, and completed her Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership for Social Justice at California State University, East Bay. She has more than 15 years of experience facilitating adult learning beginning with her time teaching in Adult Education. For nearly a decade she has worked with the College Board, a global assessment provider prioritizing equity and access to college readiness assessments. She continues to support educators with data analysis, equitable advocacy, and assessment literacy. Dr. Rodgers now serves at Solano County Office of Education as the Director, Assessment, Research, and Evaluation and is a Teacher Education Instructor at UCLA Extension.
Carla Colbert
Carla has over 20 years of experience in program, operations, and facilities management in both educational and healthcare settings. She obtained her degree in Psychology from Boston University and has worked for a diverse range of educational institutions including the Oakland Unified School District, the University of California San Francisco, and served as an Academic Coordinator with Brown University. Carla is currently with the Department of Public Health in San Francisco. She loves to travel, learn, explore other cultures, and is fluent in four languages. She is a wife and mother of two amazing and academically, successful teenage boys.
Tracy Lewis
Tracy Lewis is a relationship-focused administrator and educational leader firmly committed to the success of children and leads with value in diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility. With over twenty years of experience in the field of education, serving five years as a daycare provider, ten years as a classroom teacher and six years as a site administrator, Ms. Lewis holds experience across educational sectors. She has collaborated with the Yale National Initiative and facilitated professional development sessions with the Silicon Valley Math Initiative. Ms. Lewis is also a strong advocate and mentor for building and supporting teacher leaders as they grow in their practice and educational influence. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Human Development at California State University, East Bay, and continued her education at Mills College in Oakland, California, where she earned a Masters’ Degree in Education. Ms. Lewis currently works at Alameda County Office of Education as the Program Director of Teacher Residency.