BROOKE REA
Student Success Specialist
Education: M.A. in Secondary English Education, Teachers College, Columbia University; M.F.A. in Creative Writing, Sarah Lawrence College; B.A. in English Literature, Bucknell University
Experience: Twenty-five years teaching, advising, and coaching at institutions including Choate Rosemary Hall (CT), Millennium High School (NYC), Pace University (NY), and The Berkeley Carroll School (Brooklyn, NY).
Specialized Focus: Creative writing enrichment and project mentorship; neurodiversity and identity-affirming support; ADHD/executive function coaching; special education and learning differences; and and academic re-entry/support for students with unique mental health profiles or personal histories.
Interests: Reading, swimming, music, travel, writing, TV/documentaries, and exploring the outdoors with my Black Lab, Otis.
My story begins in the classrooms and bookstores of California’s Bay Area, where I lived until age nineteen. For me, school was not just a place to see friends — it opened doors to new worlds, diverse perspectives, and my own endless curiosities. I discovered a love of reading and writing and a burning desire to know and help others. Even as a successful student, I could see the cracks in the system and committed to understanding how to fix them. I have since built a career out of advocating for young people in and out of the classroom — especially those who don’t often feel seen, heard, or supported.
For twenty-five years, I’ve worked in classrooms across New York City and the Connecticut Shoreline teaching English and creative writing at the middle, high school, and college level. In my roles as an advisor, varsity coach, and residential administrator, I have mentored students and families toward Ivy League and selective college acceptances, national writing awards, publication, and NCAA athletic recruitment.
I have also worked closely with bright, complex students navigating learning differences, executive dysfunction, or mental health challenges. I recognize the need for an individualized approach, and I value the unique perspective each of us brings to our work and the world around us. Academic struggle is rarely about ability — it is almost always about feeling overwhelmed, misunderstood, or emotionally burnt out.
The Lit Bright process is rooted in unconditional respect, patience, and a judgment-free zone where students feel safe enough to be vulnerable, ask questions, and discover how their minds truly thrive. What I learned early on in those formative classrooms remains my core truth: there is no single way to learn, and no single way to live a successful life. Education shouldn’t force students into rigid boxes. It should spark their curiosity, teach them how their minds work, and ignite the confidence to shine.
