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OUR STORY

Journey Teen Coaching began as Journey Online Tutoring, founded by Jill Brito & Luke Hammons, two former classroom teachers who wanted to continue helping kids succeed in school and life. Jill & Luke are both married to Brazilians and met a gathering of a mutual Brazilian friend...they first time they met, they talked about one day opening a school.

As Jill & Luke began tutoring students in subjects like math and Spanish, they found that, for many of their students, the root of their struggle was not academic but personal. Many teenagers felt like they were just "going through the motions" with school, not really having any motivation or excitement about their life.

So Jill & Luke began working with a few students to help them "discover their journey" as we called it...help them explore and articulate their passions and dreams, their core values, their strengths, and developing goals for they things they were excited about. Jill & Luke also helped students reduce stress and anxiety in their life by helping with organizational skills and taught communication and conflict resolution techniques to help them increase confidence in themselves and enjoy more open, fulfilling relationships.

What they found was that after these teens discovered their "why" and felt they had a purpose and plan, other areas in their life started to fall into place. Parents told them how they had seen their kids become more focused, confident, organized, and mature after working with a life coach.

Founder Bios

​Jill Brito 
I am passionate about helping teenagers grow into exactly who they are...and love to encourage them to enjoy the journey.  As a teen, I spent many years battling depression & anxiety - a struggle that lasted well into adulthood.  As both a classroom teacher and a coach, I have shared my story to encourage students who feel like they don't belong, don't know where they're going or how to get there, and help them see the beauty in the journey. 

It took me a long time to develop habits of organization, communication, and be confident in who I am...as someone who those things did not come "naturally" to and had to learn by trial and error, I love to encourage students to grow into those areas at their own pace, in their own unique way.

I love everything to do with Latin American language and culture, a journey I began discovering in high school that shaped the rest of my career and life. It is such a joy for me to connect with teenagers and help them discover their passions and walk with them as they grow in confidence.

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​Luke Hammons
Everywhere I have taught and coached, from the slums of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to a High School in Denver, Colorado, I found the same situation. Students’ difficulties in class often have more to do with their complicated home life than their brain power.

​This dichotomy led me to develop effective tools to help students become organized, motivated, deal with personal and interpersonal conflict, build resilience, discover their strengths and values, form positive habits, and rewrite their personal story to turn regret into hope for the future. In other words, I always combined regular course work with motivational life coaching. 

In general, my philosophy of working on a student’s personal and professional development was to not only teach them a subject, but how to prepare for and overcome the blocks that get in their way as they complete the course, pass the test, and use their new skills in the workplace. In short, I have found my calling giving students a safe space to grow, express themselves, find meaning in their lives, and achieve their goals.