Check Out Jung Park’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jung Park.

Jung, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In April of 2012, filled with a dream to empower students with speech and debate training, I, Jung Park, and my husband, Mike Kyle, set out to open a speech and debate academy that would also prioritize community service. We opened a small academy in the heart of the educational district in Pasadena and set up the business as a flexible purpose corporation (an entity structure that CA allows to put community service into its articles of incorporation). We filled the small space on Colorado Boulevard with some furniture from home and soon, students started trickling in. Our business was buoyed by Mike’s growing reputation as a top speech and debate coach around town. Students soon told other students. With each new enrollment, we paid bills or bought more furniture and supplies for the academy.

Fast forward over 13 years later and Nova 42 is regarded as one of the top speech and debate academies in the nation. As a Korean American woman, I am so proud of the fact that I coach East Asian, Southeast Asian, and South Asian students. Many of our students are like me-=the children of immigrants whose parents seek the American Dream here. We have coached kids who were as young as 2nd graders and as old as 12th graders. We have seen them blossom, find their voices and learn to publicly speak and debate fearlessly and confidently.

One particular example is our former student, Andrew Li, who is now in college at Duke University. Andy came to Nova 42 after being kicked out of another afterschool speech and debate academy which had also deemed him hopeless. Upon seeing his excessive energy, Mike and I redirected it into Lincoln Douglas debate, which Andy loved. Then, the summer before his 8th grade, I told him to try an event called Humorous Interpretation. I suggested “American Born Chinese” a graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang as the script source. Andy loved the story of a Chinese American boy who learns to stop hating his Asian side and learns to embrace his culture. We worked hard on that performance and soon, Andy began winning middle school tournaments everywhere, culminating in him winning the National Speech and Debate Association’s Middle School National Championship in Humorous Interpretation in 2018. More importantly, Andy learned that Asian kids CAN perform, act, be funny. They CAN express their emotions through performance.

Every day, our coaches, Mike and I, change the lives of so many students of color or children of immigrants. We are proud of this along with our scholarship program for those in financial need. We are also proud of the fact that we have helped so many of our students create speech and debate programs at their own schools and become captains of their school teams. Many of our students have gone on to top colleges around the country, creating positive change through their leadership.

I am honored to bring my extensive experience as a litigation attorney and professional actress to my speech coaching skills. I also often invent unique techniques to help students manage such things as anxiety and stage fright. Mike brings years of experience from his time as a winning speech and debate competitor at South Salen High School in Oregon and Arizona State University as well as a longtime business professional. He is considered the heart of Nova 42 with his warm and philosophical approach to mentorship, leadership building and debate coaching and impromptu speaking coaching. Along with other caring mentors and teachers Daniel Glasgow and Ted Kim, Nova 42 has been a small but mighty coaching force in the world of speech and debate, helping students realize that the true wins and trophies are not the hardware nor medals, but the inspiration they give to their audiences.

Speech and debate is something Mike and Jung wish for every child in the US and world!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the biggest struggles is finding highly-qualified and ethical coaches that truly care about students. We always try to support our students and ensure they are learning in a safe, supportive educational sanctuary.

Another struggle was surviving during the COVID-19 shutdown. Luckily, we went to zoom-based classes the same week the shutdown was announced. Although we ended up closing a second location, we still managed to hold classes and help form innovative online speech and debate tournaments so that students could continue to compete and thrive.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I, Jung Park, am a professional actress and part of SAG-AFTRA. I love enhancing my craft and being able to share my real-life experiences as an actress with my students. Some of my students aspire to be actors as well and knowing that their coach is also working, inspires them. Recently, my students were delighted to learn that I was in a Clash Royale ad, announcing its latest evolution.

I am also proud of the fact that Mike’s and my son, Liam Kyle, is a professional actor who has appeared in 2 seasons of Tim Allen’s Disney+ series, The Santa Clauses, along with the Netflix Kevin James football comedy Home Team, among other projects. Liam grew up at our academy and started doing speech in 2nd grade. These skills truly enhanced his acting skills.

I think one of the things I am proudest of is that I continue to show our students that I am using the skills I teach every single day of my life as well.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I think Mike and I wish we had created our academy sooner. We would tell others who wish to open their own business or be entrepreneours, to GO FOR IT. Don’t let fear stop you. We also want to share how important it is to focus on the bigger picture and to have a noble goal in mind. It’s not about winning trophies; it’s about helping students shine and become leaders who truly care about others and the world around them. Because of our deeper focus on what truly matters, we have also been delighted to see our inspirational students take home so many trophies!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nova42.com
• Instagram: nova42academy
• Facebook: Nova 42
• Yelp: Nova 42 Academy
• Other: https://www.linktr.ee/JungPark

Image Credits
All photos taken by Jung Park