Learner Spotlight: Ruotolo Family

The accomplished and active Ruotolo family keep themselves busy in all areas of their lives. Twins Tye and Kade are eleventh graders at iLEAD Exploration, while younger sister, Nya, is in the fourth grade. The family has appreciated the flexibility of iLEAD Exploration’s model for two years because it allows them to school on the go with their busy schedules.

Tye and Kade know hard work and effort are sure to pay off, and they work toward growth in their sports, academics, and pretty much anything they become involved in. These dedicated young men drive from Huntington Beach to San Diego several times a week to train for jiujitsu and travel worldwide to compete. They are among the top jiujitsu competitors in the world, and their necks loaded with medals show that they have won many competitions. They remain committed to training because they know with hard work, they can always improve.

Kade and Tye love to surf, fish, and travel when they’re not doing schoolwork or training in their sport. A desire to teach and support other kids has led them to spend time teaching anti-bullying seminars for kids at their jiujitsu tournaments. They’ve also taken an interest in learning Portuguese this year to help them when they travel around the world for their many tournaments in Portuguese-speaking South American countries.

Like her brothers, Nya is always eager to learn new things. She is a very hard worker and ambitious with her passions. She has followed her brothers into jiujitsu but also loves gymnastics, skateboarding, and horseback riding. She has really enjoyed learning how to ride and care for a horse this semester. She’s interested in being a veterinarian or physical therapist in the future. Nya also models and performs in commercials in her free time.