Our Founders
Tiny Giants Early Learning Center was founded in 2014 by Farah and Amir Essa and built upon the 65+ years of trust Lake Shore Schools had built in the community.
Tiny Giants strives to create a sense of community for children, families and staff. Farah and Amir are always available for any thoughts or questions, and you will see them moving between the centers throughout the day, both professionally and personally when they drop off and pick up their kids! We are a family owned business, and encourage and value parent and staff feedback. Decisions are made from the heart, and any needed changes in a timely manner, keeping in mind the best interests of the Tiny Giants Family – TGIF
(Tiny Giants Is Family)!
Farah’s family took over ownership of Lake Shore Schools in 2010 and Farah has served as the Executive Director of Lake Shore Schools since. Prior to joining Lake Shore Schools, Farah worked in the corporate world as a computer programmer, business analyst, and project manager. She has her BS in Information Systems and E-Commerce Technology from DePaul University. More recently, Farah completed her Graduate Certificate Program in Infant Studies from Erikson Institute and is currently working on her Masters in Early Childhood Administration from National Louis University.
Amir joined Lake Shore Schools in 2012 as the Director of Operations. He oversees the daily back end functions for both Lake Shore Schools and Tiny Giants, including all of the technology and security within our programs. Prior to joining Lake Shore Schools, Amir also worked in the corporate world as a network engineer. He has his BS in Telecommunications Management from DeVry University.
Tiny Giants’ first location opened in Uptown in December of 2014, just one month after Farah and Amir became parents for the first time! In February of 2016, Tiny Giants opened its second location in North Center and in March of 2017, Tiny Giants opened its third location in Uptown, a first of its kind, ALL infant center!
At Tiny Giants, we are committed to providing families with high-quality early care and education, and hiring and training teachers who have that same passion and dedication to the children. At Tiny Giants we pride ourselves on building on our staff’s strengths and promoting from within. Over the years, we have promoted numerous Assistant Teachers to Lead Teachers, and Lead Teachers to Assistant Directors or Directors. We love to see our staff grow and continue to be a part of the Tiny Giants team for years to come!