The Groza Learning Center celebrated its expansion Tuesday night by hosting an open house at its new facilities on the ground floor of the 881 Alma Real building. Co-owners Scott and Christy Groza, joined by their 18-month-old son Lincoln, welcomed several hundred parents, students, former students, tutors, former tutors, friends and family for the unveiling of the new Education Retreat and a tour of the individual tutoring rooms. Since 2005, Groza Learning Center, which includes tutoring, test preparation and a site for home schooling service option for kindergarten through high school students, had been housed in a 1,000-sq.-ft.-space on the second floor of the same building. There were two large rooms and the students and tutors worked one-on-one in individual cubicles. In the new 2,400-sq.-ft. center, there are 10 individual tutoring rooms and two classrooms that can hold up to 10 students. Gina Grant, the Center’s assistant director, is excited about the change. ‘We feel like there will be less distractions because students won’t hear other tutors,’ she said. ’We were eyeing this space for years,’ said Christy Groza, who was initially a teacher at Calvary Christian before she started tutoring. ‘Our business kept growing and we finally able to expand.’ The Grozas met at Biola University, where Mark majored in business, and they eventually combined their interests to open the Learning Center. ’I think we have been successful because we care about the well-being of every student that walks through the door,’ Christy said. ‘If you act in the student’s best interest, the business will come.’ Palisadian interior designer Susan Jay worked with lighting, paint colors, flooring and furniture placement in the new site. ‘Christy had a vision,’ Jay said. ‘She wanted a place where kids could have fun while they learn.’ The Education Retreat has the most interesting tutoring rooms. They suggest a log cabin high in the mountains complete with a babbling brook. Artist and Palisadian Roger Dolan painted the scenery. ‘Christy said she wanted mountains like those in Alaska, but without the snow,’ Dolan said.’ In the building’s courtyard, several hundred guests were treated to food catered by the Venice-based Paleta, while PaliWine served rose, chardonnay and the company’s signature pinot noirs. To cap the evening, Lori Gottlieb, author of’ ‘Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough’ spoke about her 2011 Atlantic article, ‘How to Land Your Kid in Therapy.’ After working with patients in their early 20s, who were unhappy but yet had the ideal parents who tried to ease all of life’s disappointments, Gottlieb suggests that some parents do too much and rob their children’s ability to cope and take personal responsibility. Visit: grozalearningcenter.com or call (310) 454-3731.
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