MEET OUR TEAM
TARA VAN DE VERE, TUTOR
Tara Van de Vere is the Co-Founder of Smiles-Tutoring in Austin, Texas. She is a Senior at Westwood High School, with over 6 years of experience as a tutor. Since her Freshman year, she has taken all Honors and AP classes (when available), and has been in the Talented and Gifted program in English, Math, Science and Social Studies since 2014.
She is a recipient of National Merit Commendation, with a perfect SAT score in Math. Additionally, Tara has college credits through AP classes in Chemistry, Physics and English Language/Composition, as well as Dual Credit courses in US History, US Government and Economics. She is also currently enrolled in AP English Literature/Composition, AP Statistics and AP Psychology.
Tara is currently in her 4th year of Engineering at Westwood High School's Project Lead The Way program. In addition to these, she has served as a mentor for elementary students through the PAL program since her Junior year and is now an Officer for PAL as a Campus Coordinator. Tara has been in Varsity Band since the 9th grade, and she has served as the Bass Section Leader and the Percussion Rep/Band Officer since the 11th grade. Additionally, at the end of her Junior year, she was awarded as one of the two Outstanding Percussion Soloists at WHS.
Tara has been a member of the National Honor Society since her Junior year. She was also in the National German Honor Society, as well as a recipient of the Gold Level Award in National German Exam and other various awards at Sprachfests and Texas State German Contests (in Reading Comprehension, Sight Reading, Paired Discussions, etc.).
Tara is creative and patient, with a great sense of humor. She specializes in working with gifted students, as well as students with various learning difficulties. She can tutor students, K-12, in all core subjects, as well as the above college-level courses, Percussion, German I-III, TAG Prep and PSAT/SAT Prep.
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CAROLINE ZHUANG, TUTOR
Caroline Zhuang is a Co-founder of Smile-Tutoring in Austin, Texas and has 4 years of experience in tutoring. She has been in the Talented and Gifted program since 2012, and is currently a Senior at Westwood High School.
Throughout high school, she has taken all Honors, IB and AP classes (AP Computer Science A, SL & HL, AP English Language & Literature, AP Physics & TAG Physics C, AP TAG Chemistry, AP Statistics, AP TAG Calculus AB & BC, AP Human Geography, AP Psychology and AP Chinese II-III).
Caroline is a National Merit Semifinalist, and since her Junior year, she has been a member of the National Honor Society. The Summer before her Senior year, she completed her STEM internship with the City of Austin IT Department.
Since the age of 6, Caroline has been playing the piano, and she was in the Varsity Band and the Wind Ensemble at WHS as a Percussionist. Additionally, she was the Front Percussion Section Leader and one of the two Outstanding Percussion Soloists at WHS during her Junior year.
Caroline is fluent in Chinese and interned at a preschool in China a year prior to starting High School. In addition to this, she was also recognized as a Semifinalist in a nation-wide Chinese essay contest.
Caroline can tutor students in grades K-12, in all core subjects, as well as the above college-level subjects, Piano, Percussion and AP Chinese I-III.
CLINICAL AND EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT FOR SMILES-TUTORING
K. H. KIM, LCSW,
Licensed Clinical Consultant
Ms. K. H. Kim, LCSW, is the Clinical and Educational Consultant for Smiles-Tutoring. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Baylor University in Waco and her Master of Science in Social Work from The University of Texas at Arlington.
With over 20 years of experience as a therapist, Ms. Kim is the Founder and the Clinical Director of Pediatric Psychotherapy Associates and works with children, ages 0 to 17.
She has extensive training and experience working with children and adolescents with ADHD, anxiety, high functioning autism, sensory processing disorders, school and behavioral problems, as well as talented and gifted students and children with various learning difficulties.
Ms. Kim is the Past President of the Hill Country Chapter of the Texas Association for Play Therapy. In addition to this, she is the author of Therapeutic Parenting: How to Raise an Emotionally Healthy Child, as well as numerous articles in parenting magazines and newsletters.
If your child has certain learning differences or other issues that affect his academics (such as with twice-exceptional students or children with ADHD, anxiety, high functioning autism, etc.), Ms. Kim is available for consultation to determine the best course of action, as well as the best approaches to learning, to help your child succeed both academically and socially in the school setting.