Calvin aka The Premier

Dedicated and perseverant, The Premier has been at the top of premier academic programs for his entire scholastic career, ultimately earning a seat in the coveted Sophie Davis Medical Program. Upon completion of the program, he felt certain that a career in medicine was not his true calling. Armed with a wealth of knowledge obtained for a path he no longer felt was his own, Calvin pivoted towards education and youth counseling with the goal of equipping students with more than simply the knowledge and skills necessary for academic success.

Calvin’s primary goal is to help students discover who they are, who they wish to be, and how to actualize the life they wish to have. He naturally applies his kind and patient disposition to his teaching style and develops personal relationships with his students to figure out what makes them tick so that he can best augment their abilities. Working with Calvin is like having Mr. Rogers as a big brother if Mr. Rogers also knew all the knowledge that students need for academic success.

Mr. Paung aka The Old School

Meticulous and calculated, The Old School, is the proto-Premier. After consistently ranking at the top of his classes throughout his educational career, Mr. Paung was recruited by the American government upon graduating from Chiao Tung University, the top engineering school in Taiwan. After immigrating to the US, Mr. Paung, ever the knowledge seeker, continued his graduate studies and had a long career with the US government. 

After becoming a father and teaching his sons all the math and science that they would need to know until the collegiate level, Mr. Paung found himself with no one to teach. He was licking his chops at the potential of new blood when Calvin exhibited interest in becoming an educator. Since the founding of Premier Aptitude, the Old School has made it a habit of swooping in on any students that make eye contact with him and imparting generations of wisdom upon them. Mr. Paung is also interested in helping students realize who they wish to become… if they wish to become a doctor or a lawyer and maybe an engineer. You know how it is.

Sunny aka The Radiant

Reserved but amiable, The Radiant is a ray of sunshine in your pocket you forgot you kept for a rainy day; he’ll surprise you with a smile when you need it most. The face of Premier, Sunny is eager to address your customer service needs with a warm smile. Behind his bright disposition is an old soul who will talk your ear off about fishing, billiards, or old school hip-hop. Although he doesn’t teach any classes at Premier, Sunny has lessons aplenty to offer.

Lamont aka The Monster

Bold and eclectic, The Monster craves novel ideas and challenges. Lamont believes that education is a personal experience and that mastery of anything starts within. An ever-curious and swift learner, Lamont easily cruised through any academic work demanded of him, technically officially attending all three of the original specialized high schools due to the relocation of Stuyvesant students to Brooklyn Technical High School during the rescue and restoration process of ground zero. If you ask him though, the institution in which one studies is of far little importance compared to the mindset one carries into the experience. After exploring politics and government careers as a potential to influence positive change upon society, Lamont realized that the best avenue of contributing to progressive change is through the hearts and minds of the youth.

You might hear whispers of Lamont in passing or notice that something broken has seemingly fixed itself, typically the only clues a sharp Premier student might pick up on to know that The Monster is lurking about. If you’re face to face with him, things are about to get scary. Lamont works with students in developing their abilities in ideation and conveyance through writing, primarily the dreaded college essay, a frightening proposition for most. Don’t fret though, terrifying experiences impart some of the best lessons; without fear there is no opportunity for courage.