What We Do

At Head & Heart International, we offer comprehensive educational consulting, curriculum programming, and planning- from dream to dorm to degree.  We have an overarching goal of preparing students successfully and authentically for their future.   Specifically, we aim to enhance students’ social-emotional, life, & language skills through creative and purpose development endeavors with a cross-cultural emphasis.  In doing so, we strive to fill the many gaps left by our traditional education system.  Head & Heart International currently offers enrichment curriculum programming for K-12 schools as well as consulting services focused on career and college readiness for high school students and their families.

With an emphasis on life “soft” skills and a passion for creative and authentic self-expression, we provide students and schools from all over the world with the tools and confidence needed to follow a targeted academic path toward a more authentic definition of success.  This best-fit path is based on a  fusion of students’ unique passions, personalities, and practical realities of what today’s world needs.

 We Strive to Develop the Following in Today’s Youth:

1.  SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL & LIFE SKILLS:

  • Self & social awareness
  • Self & relationship management
  • Self-confidence & self-esteem
  • Practical communication skills (in native or a second language)

2.  INTERNATIONAL & DIVERSITY MINDEDNESS:

  • Cross-cultural & global awareness
  • Diversity appreciation

3.  A FUTURE-ORIENTED MINDSET & PREPARATION:

  • Career & college readiness
  • Academic & second language skills
  • A clearer sense of individual purpose in context with what today’s word needs

4. CREATIVITY & APPRECIATION FOR THE VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS:

  • Creative & artistic skills in visual arts, music, and dramatic arts in their modern applications

Our Services Currently Include:

ENRICHMENT CURRICULUM PROGRAMMING (for K-12 Schools & Institutions):

Our academic enrichment curriculum programs for After School or Summer Camps are designed to complement students’ school day or year.  They include: 

  • Artsy English- an after school and summer program that enhances English language, social-emotional, and other life skills through fun activities focusing on the Creative Arts
  • Artsy Español- the Spanish counterpart to Artsy English that teaches Spanish as a New Language with an immersion focus
  • Head & Heart Life- anchored around self-exploration, life, and academic skills (it can also be integrated into the Life Skills portion of Artsy English/Español on a more basic level).  This is currently still in development but will be available in 2025.

CONSULTING & COACHING (for high school & college students and their schools & institutions):

Our career and college readiness coaching, available in both private and group sessions in a home or school setting, help students explore and articulate a best fit major and career plan, guide them through the admissions process into the right higher education institution, and ensure that they maximize their 4 years in school in order to become career and life-ready— sooner.

Finally, we provide English tutoring services in a variety of subjects including: Literacy/Reading (Grades 3-5), and the following for grades 6-12: English/ELA, writing college entrance essays, SAT Prep, TOEFL Prep, Spanish, and select subjects in the maths and sciences.

Our Mission & Vision:

In these increasingly uncertain times, it’s more important than ever to choose the right major, the right college, and do the right things throughout one’s college career that are in line with who you are and what the world is today.  Finding optimal ways to harness your creative skills is another essential modern skill.  These are some of the most important decisions you’ll ever make and they will change the course of your life forever, so it’s crucial to get started on the right path.  Standing out has never been more important.  As stated in our slogan, you, and the world, deserves nothing less than the best of you.  We care about you shining at your brightest!

MISSION:

For young people to access and honor a deeper level of self awareness, confidence, “international mindedness,” and sense of purpose through hands-on creative activities, while simultaneously improving their life and language skills.

More specifically, we aim to help families and college-bound students from around the world gain access to, and make the most of, their high school and 4-year higher education degree. This has everything to do with a student knowing what they love and knowing it from the start.    We know that having passion and focus helps students stay on track, graduate on time, and obtain jobs in their fields shortly after graduation.  Just as importantly, we help them discover and refine the logical and practical side of their passion, which saves money and time and brings them more and better opportunities- sooner.   Finally, possessing skills that students typically don’t learn or master in school-  like life skills, second language, and creative pursuits- are just as (if not more) crucial to success in life as the core subjects.  As suggested by our logo, we help students harness their own “heart” (passions and values) as their driving and guiding force to help propel them purposefully along their path to make rational and well-informed decisions about what is best for THEM and THEIR FUTURE.

VISION:

Our vision is that as many individuals as possible will become fully realized throughout their academic tenure and, ultimately careers.  We know that where and where people spend several years studying, and then at least 8 hours a day working, needs to be something that is fulfilling, successful and rooted in passion.  We believe that when people are able to exhibit and apply to the world their best version of themselves, a ripple effect occurs and everybody is better off- the individuals themselves, their family, their colleagues, and our world in general.  Humanity deserves everyone to be living to their full potential, learning and working in the right environment, utilizing their talents and passions, and actualizing their purpose in alignment with their core values. Only then can we become a more enlightened, successful, productive, and peaceful world.

Contact

Quick Facts about Amy Quinde, Founder:

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Education

  • Master of Education (M.Ed.), University of Buffalo
  • Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, University of New Paltz

Credentials

  • 17 years working in high schools and higher education institutions
  • High School English/ENL Teacher (13 years)
  • Adjunct Professor, Erie Community College & University of Buffalo
  • International Admissions Advisor, Niagara University
  • Fluent in English & Spanish, proficient in Japanese
  • Certified Myers Briggs Type Indicator Practitioner
  • Lived, worked, and/or studied abroad in 5 countries (traveled to many more)
  • Senior English Language Fellow, U.S. Department of State