Every great story starts with a Foreword.
High school is when students begin shaping their next chapter, long before they know where it will lead. Having the opportunity to test their interests, ask questions and take an idea further can make all the difference.
Through one-on-one mentorship and original research, The Foreword gives them the resources to do just that.
Our mission is to connect curious students with experts to pursue authentic research and discover the thinker within.
The Foreword Research Fellowship
What happens when young people are given the chance to pursue their interests with the right mentors to guide them? In our experience, they can accomplish quite a lot, even before college. At an age when students are beginning to find their direction, the right opportunities and encouragement can help turn an interest into something tangible.
We’ve seen this firsthand through years of creating educational and travel programs at Terra Education. When students are trusted to take an active role in their learning, they bring ideas, perspectives and abilities that deserve to be taken seriously. They have plenty to contribute, and they shouldn’t have to wait until college to begin.
The Foreword Research Fellowship gives students the chance to put those interests and abilities to work through original research, with experienced Mentors supporting them along the way. Through the process, they develop practical research skills, gain a deeper understanding of their chosen subject and experience what it takes to see an independent project through to completion.
The Foreword Difference
From a spark of curiosity to something entirely your own
Student-Led, Start to Finish
You choose the question. Your mentor guides the work, but every project is driven by your own curiosity and ideas.
Mentors Who Choose Your Project
Our vetted, background-checked PhD and industry experts choose the projects they want to mentor, so yours is guided by someone invested in your idea. Our Mentor Guarantee means a new match or a full refund if the fit isn’t right after your first session.
Structure Families Can Count On
Recorded, monitored one-on-one sessions and built-in milestones keep every project on track, and parents receive a summary after every session.
A Story, Not Just a Credential
We help you turn your work into a clear story about what drives you and where you want to go next. We promise real mentorship and work that’s truly yours, rather than publication or admission results.
Part of the Terra Compass
The Foreword is part of Terra Education, alongside Summer Springboard and Global Leadership Adventures, so your growth can carry from one experience into the next.
Our Team
Jessica (Jess) Miller
Executive Director, Terra Education Middle & High School Division
Jessica (Jess) Miller is a passionate advocate for education, mentorship, and empowering young people to discover their potential. As a first-generation college graduate, she understands firsthand the transformative power of education and the importance of providing students with opportunities to explore their passions, challenge themselves, and grow as independent thinkers.
Jess joined Terra Education in 2007, inspired by its mission to develop the next generation of global leaders. Over nearly two decades, she has helped shape and lead educational programs around the world, creating meaningful experiences that foster curiosity, confidence, leadership, and personal growth.
Today, Jess serves as Executive Director of Terra Education’s Middle & High School Division, which includes Global Leadership Adventures (GLA), Summer Springboard, and The Foreword. Through these programs, she oversees a diverse portfolio of educational experiences spanning international experiential learning, pre-college academic enrichment, and personalized research mentorship. She is particularly passionate about helping students explore their interests, develop independent thinking skills, and gain confidence in their academic and personal potential.
A graduate of Oregon State University, Jess studied history, anthropology, and Spanish. Her experiences studying, living, and working internationally continue to shape her belief that meaningful learning extends far beyond the traditional classroom.
Jess lives in San Diego with her husband, Ryan, their two sons, Adryan and Kieryan, and their two leopard geckos, Ash and Sunny.
Tyler Noll
Student Success Advisor
Tyler knows firsthand what research can do for a curious student. He earned his B.A. in Environmental Studies from the Jane P. Batten Honors College at Batten University. His research developed a campus composting program framework designed to advance sustainability at his university and beyond, and it earned him the Ryan Environmental Prize for Excellence in Research. His studies took him across Puerto Rico, Morocco, Chile, and New Zealand, experiences that shaped how he approaches new challenges: with passion, adaptability, and a global perspective. Before joining The Foreword, Tyler mentored students on a GLA program and tutored in Virginia Beach City Public Schools. Today, he helps Foreword students navigate their research journey from first idea to finished story.
Brett Scuiletti
Executive Director of Marketing
Brett graduated as a Journalism and Communications Fellow from Elon University and was elected as the inaugural Fellowship President during his time at Elon. His Fellowship experience, and his Honorable Mention for his research paper submission for the endowed Philip L. Carret Thomas Jefferson Essay Competition, are big contributors to his belief that student research can make a difference during school and beyond. He has worked for Terra Education since 2014 and is excited to faciliate outreach to students looking to conduct their own research as part of their academic and career journeys.
Vaughn Hayes
Marketing Lead
As a former English instructor, Vaughn’s conviction is that reading and writing alongside a mentor can not only help us to better understand our world, but also ourselves. His own time as a graduate student served only to reinforce this: for his dissertation, he worked one-on-one with dinstiguished professors of poetry, philosophy, and comparative literature; these experiences rendered him a stronger researcher, a more incisive student, and maybe even a more thoughtful person. Across Terra Education, and in particular The Foreword and Summer Springboard, Vaughn serves as a brand champion and marketing creative. His mission is to connect parents and students like you to mentors who share their passion for deep learning.
Claudine Jones
Director of Educational Partnerships & Academic Programs
With nearly 30 yers of experience in education, leadership and business, Claudine Jones is passionate about creating meaningful opportunities for students to discover their passions and grow their interests. In her five years with Terra Education, she has lead the Summer Springboard program in Berkeley, partnered closely with college admissions professionals and school counselors to connect students and families with Terra’s Middle & High School Division programs: Global Leadership Adventures (GLA), Summer Springboard (SSB) and The Foreword (TFW). Together, these programs offer a diverse portfolio of experiences, from international experiential learning and service to pre-college academic enrichment and personalized research mentorship. Claudine also supports the expert mentors who guide students through The Foreword Fellowships, where students are pursuing original research topics they care about. Claudine holds a B.S. from Michigan State University and a Master of Professional Accounting from Colorado State University.
Daniela Surra
Marketing Specialist
Daniela believes some of the most meaningful learning happens when students are given the space to follow their curiosity. Her experience as an educator and tutor shaped her belief that quality education is about helping students gain confidence and think independently.
Now a marketing specialist at Terra Education, Daniela brings that same philosophy along with a B.A. in Digital and Media Communications, and 4+ years of marketing experience to tell the stories that are created here at Terra Education, and at The Foreword. Through her work. she strives to reveal to teens the unique opportunities that can help them discover new possibilities and feel prepared for whatever journey they go on next.