Meet the Team
Leigha Mata
Main Teacher
Miss Leigha has been in the childcare field for 6 years and is on her way to completing her Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education. She is a mother to her 2-year-old daughter, Zaria. She believes that building a strong bond with the children in her care is important and likes to incorporate the things they like into the activities she does.
She likes to help foster independence in the children she cares for and loves viewing the world through children's eyes.
Leigha is incredible at keeping the children engaged and curious. She is also in constant dialogue with them-- helping them learn how to follow directions, create boundaries for themselves, and express how they also are feeling.
Sarah Gaskin
Owner
Meet Miss Sarah. Sarah is a working mother of 3, has her Bachelor of Science from UC Berkeley, and is a VP at a West-coast-based tree care & sustainability company (www.aplustree.com).
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Her passion lies in the sciences and simplifying complicated ideas to make them fun and exciting. Naturally, she implements all her passions in how she raises her children, and how she originally created OKYE.
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Sarah works full-time from home. At OKYE, her role as the owner is to welcome families and support Leigha in providing everything she needs for a successful and loving experience for our kiddos and parents.
The Family Behind OKYE
Meet the Gaskins.
Sarah and her husband are Bay Area natives and have 3 kids, Yaelle (8 YO), Zhara (5 YO), and Solumon (2 YO).
In 2019, and during the course of Covid and "figuring it out", her husband (a Contractor) built out a classroom space in the lower level of their home. A long-time friend, Diana, who had over 15 years of Lego Stem education experience, lost her job and partnered with the Gaskins to foster the development of what is now Oak Knoll Young Explorers (OKYE). After a couple of years, Diana went back to work in the non-profit sector and we welcomed Jazmin as our most recent teacher and trusted caregiver.
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We're so grateful for the community we've formed and are excited to continue welcoming new families into our space!
“A teacher is a compass that activates the magnets of curiosity, knowledge, and wisdom in the pupils.”