Eliza Rivas

Middle & Hight School Guide, Asia-Oceania Online Studio

Eliza currently lives in St. Louis, MO, with her husband and 3 daughters. Her home is bicultural and bilingual, and her family loves God, travel, music, sports, cooking, languages, and books. She believes all children are heroes in the making. Her passion is to help these young heroes develop into global citizens who will one day better our world. 

Eliza has worked with learners in multiple capacities for over 24 years. She is the founder of Lighthouse International: an Acton Academy, the first Acton in the state of Missouri. She has an Associate’s in Music, a Bachelor's in Psychology, a Master's in International Affairs and Administration, and Spanish K-12 career certification. As an admission counselor for Saint Louis University, she witnessed the wonders learners can achieve when given the freedom to reach their potential. 

During her time in public education, Eliza has worked in suburban, urban, and inner-city districts and as an elementary school ESL assistant in Madrid, Spain. During her time as a high school Spanish teacher, she won or was nominated for several awards and grants and served as a local and national mentor teacher. 

Eliza loves being apart of The Forest School Online, as she sees the need for community among self-directed learners who travel or may not have in-person learner-driven options readily available.