
I am a seasoned educator with over 20 years of classroom experience at the elementary and middle school levels. I started my tutoring business in Los Angeles, California in June 2000 due to the demand by my students and their parents. While in Los Angeles, I also coached football for Santa Monica Vikings Youth Football.
In March 2012, I returned to my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. Because I enjoy working one-on-one with students, I decided to make tutoring a full-time business. In order to not completely leave the classroom and a group setting, I am a substitute teacher in Clayton, Missouri. In addition to substitute teaching, I coach high school football, 7th grade boys basketball, and 8th grade baseball.
After graduating from St. Louis Country Day School. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Duke University while being a full scholarship athlete on Duke's football team. ~Randy Sally
100 Things About Me
- I enjoy meeting people and making connections. So many people have fascinating stories about their life experiences.
- I like to learn new things. It keeps my mind healthy, and I believe learning is a lifelong endeavor.
- I believe in living a life that is as stress free as possible.
- I enjoy helping others in any way I can. It’s a good feeling when you can have a positive influence on someone’s life.
- I was a full-time teacher for 17 years (3rd, 4th and 6th grades).
- I started my first business at age 46 at the behest of my now-wife.
- I never took a Driver’s Education class, passed the written and driving tests the first time.
- Spider-Man and Speed Racer were my two favorite cartoons as a young boy.
- I started watching General Hospital at my high school football Hell Week when I was 15 years old and have been a loyal viewer for 36 years.
- I learned how to ride a bike by using my brother’s 12 speed bike. No training wheels. Falling was not fun, so I decided to stay on the bike!
- I learned how to drive a stick shift in a dream. It sounds weird, but it’s true!
- I am allergic to peanuts, grass, pollen, ragweed, mold, dust, olive trees and many more.
- I have eclectic taste in music: everything from Shania Twain to The Cure to Fishbone.
- My favorite artist and guitarist is Prince Rogers Nelson.
- I really enjoy musicals and plays in small scale theaters. Thus far my favorite musical is Lion King, and my favorite play Fences by August Wilson.
- I love sunshine. I became spoiled as a result of living in Los Angeles for 22 years.
- I’m easy to get along with. Just ask my wife!
- One of my favorite movies is Juice. I have seen it over 60 times.
- I received an athletic scholarship to play Division 1 football for Duke University.
- My aunt (mother’s sister) inspired me to become an educator. She was an English professor at Kennedy King College in Chicago, Illinois for over 30 years. She then obtained her PhD in English Literature from Loyola Chicago at the age of 66.
- I have visited 38 of the 50 United States, and hope to eventually visit the remaining 12.
- During my stint as a coach for a Saken Sports Camp, I learned to surf at North Shore of O’ahu and also snorkeled for the first time in Waimea Bay (North Shore of O’ahu) during our Hawaii Adventure Sports Camp.
- I was a four sport athlete in high school (football, basketball, baseball and track & field).
- I am currently working on publishing a poetry book that I have written as well as writing a children's book and short stories.
- During college, I was once awake for 36 hours (studying for exams in addition to football commitments).
- I have never traveled overseas but have a passport...with no stamps :-(. The first place I would like to travel to is England.
- I once worked as an extra in a television movie
- I once auditioned for a Pizza Hut commercial at Venice Beach in California.
- Punctuality is very important to me; I am always on time for appointments, meetings, etc.
- After my first year of college, I applied for a job at McDonald’s and did not get hired. They told me I was "over qualified".
- I had a migraine headache (the only one I have ever had) after my second semester Calculus exam (senior year)
- These days I don’t like traveling by car if it will take more than 5 hours
- I don’t like coffee
- I don’t listen to the radio for music. I have nearly 7,000 songs on my iPod
- I started taking guitar lessons at age 9, but stopped after a few months. I love guitar but was too busy playing sports during each season
- I would love to be able to paint and/or draw and do so very well.
- I hold a California Clear Teaching Credential
- I once met a character from my favorite soap opera (General Hospital).
- I have completed four Tough Mudder events. Two in Richmond, Virginia, one in Charlotte, North Carolina, and one in Nashville, Tennessee.
- My favorite social media platform for my tutoring business is Instagram. You can find me at @penrosetutoring.
- I currently have three favorite NFL teams: the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals.
- While in college, I saw dizzy Gillespie perform, met him after the show, and got his autograph.
- I saw Boyz In The Hood at a private screening on the lot of Paramount Pictures.
- I started tutoring in June 2000.
- I have visited Alcatraz Island and it was really eerie.
- I am a member of my high school's (St. Louis Country Day School) Athletic Hall of Fame (once as an individual, twice for teams).
- I coach high school football as well as middle school basketball and baseball .
- My favorite form of poetry is Haiku.
- My two favorite BBQ restaurants are Sugarfire Smokehouse (Olivette, MO) and Blues City Cafe (Memphis, TN).
- As a child, I used to load the freezer with hollow and solid milk chocolate rabbits the week leading up to Easter!
- Then I would have lots of chocolate for weeks thereafter.
- I love toasted ravioli at Imo’s Pizza (St. Louis, MO).
- I LOVE White Castle hamburgers!
- I do not like spicy food.
- Breakfast food is good at anytime of the day!
- My favorite cold drink is sweet tea. Red Diamond, Luzianne, and Royal Cup are my favorites.
- As an adult, I have grown to like greens and grilled/roasted asparagus.
- I enjoy cooking and baking.
- My favorite baseball team is the St. Louis Cardinals.
- My favorite NBA Basketball team is the Denver Nuggets.
- My favorite NHL Hockey team is the Colorado Avalanche.
- My favorite golfers are Tiger Woods, Harold Varner III, and Tony Finau.
- Football is my favorite sport of all.
- I have attended the Men's Basketball NCAA Final Four 4 times and the Women's Basketball NCAA Final Four one time.
- I attended Game 1 of the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals in Denver, Colorado.
- I attended the 2005 NBA All-Star weekend in Denver, Colorado
- I attended the 2010 MLB All Star Game in Anaheim, California.
- I visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame once and will definitely visit again.
- In high school, I played 4 sports (football, basketball, baseball, track)
- I earned 8 varsity letters in high school.
- I was All-State in Track & Field during my junior year in high school.
- I played against a good friend and high school football teammate in a college football game.
- I enjoy playing golf on as many different courses as I can. So far, my best round is 87 (shot if Las Vegas, Nevada)
- When I was 9 years old, my youth tackle football team played during halftime of a St. Louis Football Cardinals game at the original Busch Stadium.
- I participated in NFL Punt, Pass & Kick competitions as a youth.
- I would like to play golf in Hawaii one day.
- I have attended 9 concerts thus far in my life. Seven have been Prince concerts.
- Television shows I enjoy are Bull, NCIS: New Orleans, Hawaii Five-O, Chicago PD, Mom, Good Girls
- I love the ESPN 30 for 30 series. There are so many great sports stories, and I enjoy learning all of the behind the scenes details about them.
- My favorite soap opera (and the only one I watch) is General Hospital fan. I have been watching for 37 years.
- Some of my favorite movies are Boyz In The Hood, Friday (original), Sleepers, When We Were Kings, Pulp Fiction, The Matrix, The Breakfast Club, Good Will Hunting, and Dead Poets Society.
- Two of my favorite board games as a youth were Sorry, Life and Clue.
- I enjoy seeing select movies on the big screen and always get popcorn and a soft drink.