Ashaunti Samms
Language Arts & Theatre
Ashaunti Samms is a professional local actor, stage manager, and educator with over 12 years of experience in the entertainment industry and . She earned her BA in Theater Performance, English Writing and Composition, and Communications from Wesleyan College, and her MFA in Performing Arts from SCAD. Some of her credits include playing Grover in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief: The Musical, Sweetheart in Exit, Pursued by a Bear, and Miss Scarlet in Clue: The Musical. She teaches the Math, Science, and Acting courses at Hazelwood Prep. During her time pursuing her undergraduate degrees, she was a Science, English, and Math tutor for a nearby high school and a writing center tutor at Wesleyan's Student Help Center. She currently works as the social media and marketing manager for Open Seat Productions, a local production company to help actors with their demo reels, self-tapes, and producing films for film festivals. One of her hobbies, playwriting, was honed while at Wesleyan as she did a writing apprenticeship under Robert Fieldsteel. While at SCAD, she had won the SCAD 24 hour play festival 2 years in a row, with her plays Love on the Edge and Grounded. Her other hobbies include moderating guest panels for different nerd conventions (including DragonCon, AWA, Momocon, and KamiCon), voice acting, dancing, freelance modeling, and social media.
Jordan Hermitt
History & Arts Integration
Jordan Hermitt holds a degree in Theatre with a specialization in Performance and Dramaturgy, complemented by a minor in Traditional Art. This unique blend of academic and artistic training informs her approach to teaching, fostering a dynamic and interdisciplinary classroom environment.
Passionate about the power of narrative, Jordan teaches courses in Storytelling, English, History, and Music, weaving together these disciplines to inspire creativity and critical thinking. She encourages her students to uncover the connections between art, history, and culture, fostering a deeper appreciation for the stories that shape our world.
When not in the classroom, Jordan enjoys exploring artistic traditions, collaborating on theatre projects. And is known as a muralist and costume designer in the local community.
Shalandra Royal
Music & Executive Administrator
Shalandra Royal is the Executive Administrator at Hazelwood Prep, where she seamlessly blends her organizational expertise with her diverse passions. A graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Music, Shalandra specializes in Opera Performance, and has performed on stages in countries including South Korea and Italy. Her background in music, particularly opera, complements her work in administration, bringing creativity and a strong work ethic to everything she does.
As Hazelwood Prep expands its Arts program, Shalandra is excited to lend her talents and expertise to both the music and theater departments. Her multifaceted career and artistic background make her an invaluable resource for the school’s continued growth and artistic development.
Outside of her administrative duties, Shalandra is an independent professional wrestler, balancing her athletic career with her love for modern and classical music, video game music, and creative pursuits like writing and filming. Whether performing, wrestling, or contributing to Hazelwood Prep, Shalandra continues to inspire and innovate across multiple disciplines.
Andrea Hermitt
Visual Arts
Andrea Hermitt is the co-founding director of Hazelwood Prep, a homeschool program created to support families facing barriers to homeschooling. She graduated from the State University of New York in 1991 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and earned a Master of Education degree from the University of the People in 2022.
Andrea homeschooled her two children from 2003 until 2013, when her youngest graduated at 16. Her children have bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Over the years, she has contributed to numerous websites and homeschool blogs, sharing her expertise with a wider audience.
Since graduating her children, Andrea has been actively involved in theatre arts and continues to counsel and support homeschooling families, drawing on her extensive experience and passion for education.
Grace Rietta
Math
Grace, originally from Alabama, grew up in the metro Atlanta area. She was homeschooled at home exclusively until middle school when her parents enrolled her and her brother in a co-op program. She graduated high school from a local Homeschool program, went on to study at Georgia Perimeter College (now Georgia State University), and graduated from Mercer University with a degree in Business Administration. She has a former background in retail management and currently works in the healthcare sector aiding private practices with administrative, process development, and medical billing needs. - Regarding Grace’s experience with homeschooling, she says that a big benefit was flexibility, “my siblings and I could spend more time on concepts where we struggled, while if we grasped concepts quickly we could move on to the next. I feel like homeschooling set me up for what I would accomplish in the future.” While Grace did not always enjoy math, she found a love for the subject in high school, “I saw the patterns and started to understand the bigger picture the numbers were painting.” Now, Grace strives to help students overcome anxiety from the subject, find their stride, and start seeing the larger picture that math provides.
Sara Satterfield
Speech & Debate
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