Savvy Gurls Art & Tutoring

10/14/2026

I can't believe it's already been one year since The Loop newspaper shared our story about the next chapter, after Slice of Life Enrichment School closed its doors!

What a year it's been! Time really does fly when you're having FUN!

THANK YOU to The Loop for recognizing our journey as a wonderful community story and taking the time to share it with Tehachapi!

A huge THANK YOU to Susan Minor, whose vision led her to open Slice of Life Enrichment School in 2017, pioneering a wonderful approach to enrichment education in Tehachapi! Eight years later, when it was time to close that chapter, Susan encouraged and supported us as we spread our wings and ventured out on our own!

Fast-forward one year, and here we are, all sharing a fabulous studio in Old Town Tehachapi (formerly the Help & Hope Thrift Store)!

We're having the time of our lives, doing what we love, creating, teaching, laughing, supporting one another, and even being serenaded by our talented music teachers as we continue to provide enrichment opportunities for children and families in our community!

Different location, new adventures, but the same passion and heart! And we're thrilled that GG Driving School has joined us as well.

Susan, your legacy lives on, and we're having a BLAST carrying it forward!

Here is to many more years of creativity, learning, laughter, and wonderful memories together!

A Tehachapi favorite lives on! After Slice of Life enrichment school closed this summer, five dedicated teachers came together to carry on Susan Minor’s legacy of inspiring creativity through music, language and art. Learn more in The Loop. Link in comments.

10/14/2026

SOMETIMES THE STUDENT BECOMES THE TEACHER!

Last week, we welcomed a new math student to Savvy Gurls Art & Tutoring!

Like many children, he can be hard on himself when something doesn't come easily. Before we began, I asked him to read our Learning Philosophy curtain, reminding him that it's OK to make mistakes, ask questions, and not know everything.

We worked on his 6, 7, 8, and 9 multiplication tables using a new approach I recently learned from another student. At first, he struggled, but he didn't give up! Then came that wonderful AHA moment when it clicked, and he couldn't wait to finish his 7s, 8s, and 9s!

By the end of our session, he was excited for me to check his answers. And the best part? Now he has a way to figure out the answers when his brain can't remember them!

An added bonus? This approach reinforces addition and subtraction skills while helping children work through their multiplication tables. A triple win!

As he was leaving, he told his mom:

“That lady has a genius brain!” 😂

Well, the real credit goes to Emilie, one of my wonderful Grade 6 students!

Emilie recently explained how her brain works through the 9 times table. Her approach inspired me to explore how the same pattern could apply to other multiplication tables and help more students. So far, several students have responded with tremendous enthusiasm!

Every child learns differently, and I'm always looking for ways to make challenging concepts easier to understand. Sometimes the best ideas come from the children themselves!

To Turner, our new student, we're so proud of you for sticking with something that initially felt difficult!

And to Emilie, you showed me how your brain works, and now children you've never even met are learning from you. How wonderful is that?

Thank you both!

09/23/2026

Happy First Day of Fall!

Our Little Sprouts Art Fall Series begins Tuesday, October 6th!

We're kicking off the season with Apple Season just in time for the The Tehachapi Apple Festival! Our fall classes will be filled with painting, creativity, new friends and even a few tasty seasonal surprises along the way!

Tuesday Classes
2:15 PM – 2 spots open for boys
4:00 PM – 3 spots open for girls

NEW Saturday Mixed Classes (Start Oct. 10th)
9:00 AM & 11:00 AM

🎨 $110 for 4 one-hour classes
All art materials included

Little Sprouts is all about giving children a place to create, explore and make their art their own while building confidence and friendships along the way.

Here's a peek at some of our Little Sprouts artists' wonderful work from last fall!

Come create with us!
Text/Call (661) 788-4875 to save a spot.

09/19/2026

Book your child's Birthday Paint Party!! Saturday afternoons 1-4PM • Ages 5–12
Early Bird Special: $300 • Save $50!
Reserve by September 30th for early Bird Special and for dates through June 2027!

09/19/2026

🎨🎈 Birthday Paint Parties are here! 🎈🎨

We had such a fun evening at the Cummings Valley Elementary School PTO Fall Festival fundraiser, introducing our Savvy Gurls Birthday Paint Parties, showcasing artwork from our Little Sprouts Artists, and sharing our booth with Party Express Tehachapi

Three fun-filled hours, so many wonderful families and kids...and definitely the sore feet to prove it!

A special THANK YOU to Doreen at Party Express for joining us and bringing little free surprises for the kids, which were a hit! And when she realized I’d been so busy preparing that I forgot to eat, she even fed me pizza from her Little Caesars Tehachapi.

Doreen and her husband, Daniel, are also proud recipients of Little Caesars’ Keeper of the Brand Award, an international honor recognizing franchisees who represent the brand and their communities exceptionally well. Now THAT’S a good and exceptional partner!

Now it’s time to celebrate some birthdays!

Our Birthday Paint Parties are for children ages 5–12, Saturdays from 1–4 PM.

🎨 Guided painting for up to 8 children
👨‍👩‍👧 Space for up to 6 adults
🎂 Families bring the cake & party treats
🎉 Parents handle party setup & cleanup
🧹 Want to skip cleanup? Ask about our optional cleanup service!
🎈 Party Express offers optional done-for-you decorating, plus a special Savvy Gurls discount on party decorations
🏠 And best of all...no paint mess at your house!

🎉 EARLY BIRD SPECIAL: $300 • SAVE $50!

Reserve your party by October 30th with a $50 non-refundable deposit, to lock in our Early Bird price and your special date. Your deposit is applied toward your party total.

And your party doesn’t have to happen by September 30th! Early Bird pricing is good for available Saturday party dates through June 2027.

Party Express decorating services and decorations are optional and booked/purchased directly through Party Express.

You bring the birthday child. We’ll bring the creativity and fun!

Savvy Gurls Art & Tutoring
Old Town Tehachapi
Call/Text: (661) 788-4875

09/19/2026

Every once in a while, you receive an unexpected message from a parent that stops you in your tracks.

I received this from one of my Little Sprouts Artists’ moms, and I’ll admit, it brought tears to my eyes.

Sometimes it’s nice to know that the “heart work” behind what you do is noticed.

She wrote:

“Hi Miss Sally,

We just wanted to take a moment to tell you how much our daughter absolutely loves your art class. She talks about it with so much joy and excitement, and it’s clear how safe and free she feels to truly express herself with you.

We so deeply appreciate your gentle spirit and the way you love and guide the children. You are such a wonderful role model, and the environment you create allows our daughter to thrive creatively and confidently.

Thank you for the heart you pour into your work. It truly makes a difference, and we are so grateful for you.”

Messages like this mean more than I can say.

At Little Sprouts Art, it has never been about creating a “perfect” painting. It’s about giving children a place to create, explore, build confidence, and be proud of what is uniquely theirs.

Send a message to learn more

09/18/2026

What a Difference a Year Makes!

Meet adorable Olivia, one of our Little Sprouts artists!

Olivia was just 5 years old when she joined Little Sprouts Art last year. Now she’s 6, and look at the difference a year of creating, experimenting and painting can make!

In this photo, Olivia is holding one of her earlier paintings alongside one of her more recent creations. And see that lamppost in a snowstorm hanging behind her? That’s Olivia’s painting too!

One of my favorite things about teaching art is watching children develop their own style and confidence.

And now we have room for 3 more girls to join Olivia in our Tuesday 4:00 PM all-girls class! 💕 It’s a fun opportunity to paint, create and make some new friends along the way.

🎨 Little Sprouts Art • Ages 5–10
Tuesdays: 2:15 PM | 4:00 PM All-Girls Class
Saturdays: 9:00 AM | 11:00 AM • Mixed Classes begin Oct. 10th.
$110/month • 4 one-hour classes • All materials included

No art experience needed. Just bring your imagination.

Only 3 spots available in our Tuesday 4 PM girls class.

Text/Call: (661) 788-4875
20298 W. Valley Blvd.
Old Town Tehachapi

Come paint with us!

09/13/2026

Vocabulary lessons don’t usually come with a punchline, but this one did!

Quinn and I were working on new vocabulary words this week, learning how to use the dictionary, and practicing synonyms and antonyms.

Quinn often tells me during tutoring that he’s tired, so when one of our new vocabulary words was "tired," I had to tease him:

“I think I’m going to see your picture in the dictionary next to that word!” 😂

For each new vocabulary word, he writes down the meaning. A little later, I looked at his notebook.

“Quinn, you haven’t written the meaning for 'tired' yet.”

He looked at me and said, “I did.”

So I looked again.

Next to "tired," Quinn had written:

ME. 😂😂😂

His sister and I completely lost it.

Technically, that wasn’t the dictionary definition I was looking for...but I certainly couldn’t argue with his understanding of the word!

Sometimes the best moments in tutoring aren’t on the lesson plan.

And sometimes, you just need a really good belly laugh.

09/13/2026

The Little Moments That Matter

Sometimes tutoring is about helping a child through a difficult school year. Sometimes it’s about filling learning gaps. And sometimes it’s simply about helping to build a stronger foundation before the next chapter begins.

Harrison’s story is one of those. 💜

When I first met Harrison, affectionately known as “HareBear,” in March, he was 4½ years old and needed some extra support with early learning skills that would help prepare him for his next big adventure: Kindergarten.

Over the next several months, we practiced letters, traced numbers, explored sounds, and worked on counting and the alphabet. And because Harrison LOVES dinosaurs, sometimes learning meant playing hide-and-seek with dinosaur eggs. 🦖🥚

Little by little, with the support of his parents, those skills grew. His A’s and H’s became beautifully formed, his counting improved, and his parents shared that he did better than they expected on his spring testing.

But some of my favorite moments had nothing to do with workbooks.

Harrison almost always brought a special toy friend along to tutoring. Sometimes a dinosaur would supervise our work from the table. And one day, as Harrison was leaving, he carefully made sure Buzz Lightyear was safely buckled into the car for the ride home. 💙

Those are the little glimpses of a child’s personality that make tutoring so special.

Harrison has started Kindergarten, where he’ll have the opportunity to learn alongside other children, make new friends, and continue building his confidence and independence.

His mom recently sent this message:

“We appreciate all the work and help that you provided this summer. He progressed so much with you!”

That meant a lot to me.

We're so proud of you, HareBear. 💜

Keep learning, keep growing, and keep taking good care of Buzz Lightyear and his friends!