● About us / Sobre nosotros

Rooted in Family, Language and Love

Yatichawi is inspired by Aymara and Quechua roots and reflects the idea of teaching, learning, and community.

Our story began with Leah, our founder’s daughter. Wanting to create a nurturing, bilingual environment for her own child, Connie realized that this love and care could be shared with other families. From that vision, Yatichawi was born — an early childhood program where children are embraced like family, immersed in the richness of Spanish language and culture, and supported in becoming confident, kind, and curious learners.

● Meet the Staff / Conocer al personal

Leadership & Staff

Founder & Program Director

  • Connie Farias is the founder and Program Director of Yatichawi Spanish Immersion Child Care & Preschool. With more than 20 years of experience working with children of all ages, Connie created

    Yatichawi with the vision of building a nurturing, culturally rich, Spanish immersion environment where children feel safe, loved, and inspired to learn. Originally from Peru, Connie combines her professional background in early childhood education with her belief that learning should be rooted in connection, culture, communication, and emotional development. Under Connie’s leadership, Yatichawi has become a trusted bilingual learning community known for its loving environment, organic meals, dedicated educators, and meaningful relationships with families.

Operations Director | Wellington Campus Administration & CDSS Oversight

  • Derick Lima oversees the daily operations and administrative leadership of Yatichawi’s Wellington location.

    As the primary operational supervisor for the campus, he manages staff coordination, parent communication, licensing compliance, camera supervision, billing support, and overall site organization.

    With a background in Business Administration and program operations, Derick works closely with the Yatichawi leadership team to ensure the Wellington campus operates safely, efficiently, and in full alignment with CDSS licensing requirements and Yatichawi’s standards of excellence. While his role is administrative rather than classroom-based, Derick plays an essential behind-the-scenes leadership role supporting families, supervising systems, and helping maintain a secure, professional, and well-organized environment for the community.

Spanish Immersion Educator | Bilingual Early Childhood Educator

  • Originally from the Basque region of Spain, Margarita Arrue brings decades of experience in early childhood education and Spanish language instruction to Yatichawi. A credentialed educator with a Master of Education and California State Teaching Credential, Margarita has dedicated her life to inspiring young learners through language-rich, culturally authentic, and developmentally appropriate teaching practices. Her experience teaching Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten within LAUSD allows her to bring academic excellence, creativity, and joyful learning experiences into the classroom while strengthening Yatichawi’s Spanish immersion curriculum.

Lead Associate Teacher | Bilingual Early Childhood Educator

  • Nancy Cruz is a bilingual early childhood educator with an Associate Degree in Child Development and more than five years of experience supporting young children at Yatichawi. Known for her warmth, patience, and strong classroom leadership, Nancy creates nurturing and engaging learning environments that support children’s cognitive, social-emotional, and language development through meaningful daily interactions. Nancy has built trusted relationships with both students and families and is recognized for her genuine love for children, calm presence, and dedication to creating positive early learning experiences.

Lead Preschool Teacher | Credentialed Educator | 14+ Years of Early Childhood Experience

  • Madai Berenice Sotelo Gonzalez is a credentialed educator from Mexico with more than 14 years of experience working with infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children. Her teaching approach is rooted in play-based, language-rich learning experiences that support communication, confidence, curiosity, and creativity in young children. Known for her nurturing presence and structured classroom leadership, Madai creates engaging and culturally rich preschool environments where children feel safe, valued, and excited to learn each day.

Associate Teacher | Early Childhood Development | Preschool Education | Childcare Leadership

  • Originally from Colombia, Yenifer Lorein Montenegro Piñeros brings more than 13 years of experience in preschool education and early childhood development. With a strong background as a preschool teacher, Yenifer supports children through their developmental years with warmth, patience, structure, and individualized care. Her experience includes classroom organization, educational activities, and supporting children with diverse learning needs. Known for her calm presence, nurturing spirit, and strong relationships with families, Yenifer helps create loving and engaging classroom environments where children feel secure, encouraged, and supported every day.

Lead Infant & Toddler Caregiver | Child Development Studies | Nurturing Early Care

  • Rocío Mancia is a dedicated infant and toddler caregiver who brings over five years of loving and attentive care to Yatichawi’s youngest children. As the lead caregiver for infants and toddlers, Rocío creates calm, emotionally secure environments where children feel safe, loved, and supported during their earliest developmental stages. Her patience, warmth, and nurturing personality help create the loving foundation that defines the Yatichawi experience for many families.

Lead Teacher Assistant | Early Childhood Educator | Toddler Classroom Leadership

  • Roxana León is an early childhood educator with hands-on experience supporting infant, toddler, and preschool development. Since joining Yatichawi in 2020, Roxana has helped create engaging, structured, and play-based classroom experiences that support communication, independence, curiosity, and social-emotional growth. Known for her calm presence, professionalism, and genuine care for children, Roxana creates safe and nurturing classroom environments where children feel encouraged, confident, and excited to learn.

Chef & Caregiver | 30+ Years of Caregiving Experience

  • Maria Lima is a beloved member of the Yatichawi family who brings over 30 years of caregiving and food preparation experience to the program. She prepares fresh daily meals with warmth and care while also supporting Yatichawi’s youngest children with patience, kindness, and nurturing attention. Maria’s joyful spirit, loving presence, and family-centered care help create the warm and welcoming environment that families experience at Yatichawi every day.

● Our Values / Nuestros valores

Our Values

Love Respect Kindness Trust Honesty Empathy Inclusion Perseverance Community  Good Manners

● Our Story / Nuestra historia

“A Place of Learning”

Yatichawi is inspired by Aymara and Quechua roots and reflects the idea of teaching, learning, and community. It’s more than a name — it’s a philosophy. It speaks to the heart of what we believe: that education is an exchange, a shared journey between teachers, children, and families.

  • The idea for Yatichawi began with our founder, Connie Farias, and her daughter, Leah. As a mother, Connie faced the same question many parents do — how to balance the need to provide for her family with the desire to be present during her child’s most formative years. She dreamed of a space where Leah, and other children, could be surrounded by love, guided with patience, and immersed in the richness of Spanish language and culture.

    With over 20 years of experience working with children of all ages, including those with special needs, Connie combined her professional background with her personal vision. She imagined a preschool where language is not memorized but lived, where values are not taught as lessons but modeled every day, and where every child feels truly at home.

    From that dream, Yatichawi was born — a place where children play, learn, and grow in Spanish; where families find peace of mind; and where community, culture, and care come together under one roof.