Rising Stars: Meet Cassi Beach of Tucker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassi Beach.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
When I was eight years old, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I lined up my stuffed animals with their “work,” graded papers I created for each of them, and kept an impressively intense filing system tucked inside my pink desk. I even pulled my dad into my classroom whenever I could! Armed with Lisa Frank stationery and smelly markers, I took my role very seriously.

As I grew up, I continued following that calling. I babysat and later worked with children at Rainbow Skating Center in Dublin, Georgia. That experience led to a daycare position under Mrs. Linda, who truly nurtured my gift for working with children. After graduating from Bleckley County High School, I attended a few community colleges before earning my bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta. (Ironically, I’ve never been a good “traditional” student.)

For years, I was certain I would teach in public school. Then in 2011, I had my daughter, and my plans shifted. I pressed pause on my career to become “Mommy” and a nanny. Two years later, my son was born. When he turned two, we joined The Goddard School in Alpharetta for a year, and I felt the pull back toward my original dream.

I began teaching in Henry County and moved to Atlanta Public Schools the following year. At Peyton Forest, under the leadership of Mrs. Gunner and Dr. Akbar, I received the most transformative training of my career. They affectionately called me “the white lady who brought chickens to the hood.” My time there stretched me, sharpened me, and deepened my passion for education in ways I never imagined.

Then came the 2020 lockdown—and made me sit still. I realized I didn’t truly know my own children the way I wanted to. I had allowed the system to steal my joy, and I no longer felt aligned with the purpose God had placed on my life. My daughter was two years behind in reading—and I am Orton-Gillingham certified. I had to ask myself a hard question: What kind of teacher am I if my own child can’t read? I was tired, burnt out, and it was drastically affecting the relationship with my own children.

I started reading, reflecting, and dreaming. One day I asked my husband if we could all quit school. He responded, “Do you have a plan?” In true Cassi fashion, I said, “Kinda.” I knew I wanted to return to nature—the place where my favorite childhood memories were made. To equip myself for this new path, I pursued a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Kennesaw State University.

Soon after, we bought a home in Tucker and began transforming it into an urban homestead—an adventure that started with Bucky, a baby goat. We began homeschooling in our backyard with a small group of children. The following year, I joined Little Forest School under the mentorship of Mrs. Deb and Mrs. Melissa. Teaching outdoors in a nontraditional setting reignited my passion. I was no longer confined by four cement walls. I felt free. Working a summer camp job at Tucker Recreation Center pushed me to develop strong leadership skills and gave me the tough, hands-on training I needed to become the best leader I could be. With Ms. Jen’s guidance, I was able to discover the leader that had been inside me all along.

A few years later, after much prayer and a leap of faith, I founded a nonprofit to create accessible, nature-based programming for homeschool families. That dream became The Tree of Learning, Inc.—a space rooted in wonder, freedom, and a deep belief that children thrive when learning feels authentic.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not. This journey has not been polished or picture-perfect. I have cried. I have doubted myself. I have made big mistakes. I have lost friends, gained new ones, and been knocked down more times than I can count. At this point, the roadblocks far outnumber the visible “successes.” What you’re seeing now is simply the fruit of years of quiet hustle—of showing up when no one was clapping, and trusting the process when nothing felt certain.

The hardest chapter began about three years ago, around the same time I launched the nonprofit. My husband of 18 years became very ill. He had been feeling unwell for nearly a decade, but after seeing roughly 24 doctors across multiple specialties, he was repeatedly dismissed without answers. Then, three years ago, everything intensified.

There was a season when we truly believed he might die—and we might never understand why he was sick in the first place. In the middle of that fear and uncertainty, Psalm 46:10 became my anchor: “Be still and know that I am God.” Those words carried me. They reminded me to release control, to trust, and to stay the course even when the ground beneath me felt like it was crumbling.

After an intense month of praising, praying, and fasting, we experienced a major breakthrough. I am overwhelmingly grateful to say that he is alive and on the mend. We are slowly, tenderly putting the pieces of our family back together after such a traumatic season.

I will forever be thankful for the friends who let me cry—on the phone, in my driveway, and in their arms wherever I needed to fall apart and let it out. And for Mrs. Ashley, who held me together at my homeschool program when I didn’t feel strong enough to stand on my own.

This season has reshaped me. It has deepened my faith, refined my purpose, and reminded me that resilience isn’t loud—it’s steady. And sometimes, survival itself is the miracle.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I think what truly sets me apart is my intensity. I’m all of five feet tall—a small girl with a big voice. I always have been, and I suspect I always will be. I feel things deeply. I show up fully. I don’t do anything halfway.

I am both resilient and empathetic—a combination that has been forged through experience, not just personality. Because of that, I tend to attract the kiddos who feel misunderstood, the ones who don’t quite fit the mold, the ones who are often labeled before they are truly known. Those are my kids.

I see them. I understand that big emotions, strong wills, and different learning styles are not problems to fix—they’re strengths to refine. My goal is to give them the tools, confidence, and language they need to walk into any space as their full, authentic selves. Not smaller. Not quieter. Not reshaped to make others comfortable. Just fully, unapologetically who they were created to be.

At The Tree of Learning, Inc., we provide programming that meets a vital need in our community. We serve homeschool and unschool families, offer Sunday nature clubs, design outdoor birthday parties, help troops in our area with nature badges, and create enriching summer programs.

Our space in the community allows us to fully carry out our mission—simply put, to protect childhood: to preserve the wonder, the magic, and the joy that make these years so special.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If I had to give any advice to any one this would be it;

Keep showing up in ways that fill your bucket with joy. Choose the things that bring you back to life—not the ones that simply look good on paper.

Create rhythms in your self-care that help you stay regulated, grounded, and aligned with who God created you to be. Not rushed. Not reactive. Not running on empty.

Pay attention to what restores you. Protect it. Build it into your days in small, sustainable ways.

Because when you are regulated and rooted, you don’t just survive—you lead, love, and live from a place of overflow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://treeoflearninginc.com
• Instagram: @thetreeoflearning
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/treeoflearninginc