Bernadette Fernandez is the founder and director of Imagine Etiquette, Inc. Since March 2014, Bernadette's goal has been to encourage, empower, and elevate students for lifelong success outside of the classroom. Through Imagine Etiquette, kindergarten through 12th-grade students is offered custom-designed enrichment programs in social etiquette, confidence building, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, public speaking, and interviewing skills. Before the pandemic, Bernadette's enrichment programs were taught primarily in public, private, and charter schools across the Los Angeles County area. After the pandemic, Bernadette's enrichment programs are now provided to schools and students as an in-person course or to students virtually worldwide. 

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Bernadette recognized the apparent gap in an educational system that taught the scholar while neglecting the whole child, and thus Imagine Etiquette was born. Imagine Etiquette fills the blindspots of education by creating programs that complement academic learning by teaching soft skills such as self-esteem, self-regulation, integrity, leadership, and other crucial elements of Social-Emotional Learning that extend beyond the classroom.

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Bernadette has partnered with schools to successfully implement Imagine Etiquette's Self-Esteem Value and Awareness (SEVA™) programs as a core Social-Emotional Learning platform to encourage, empower, and elevate students to realize their full potential and grow into their best selves.

 

Imagine Etiquette’s Business Etiquette Leadership and Life Skills (BELLS™) program is officially recognized by U-C Doorways as an A-G approved course. The program is offered virtually through Imagine Etiquette's partnership with Stanza Academy International.

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During the unprecedented year of 2020, Bernadette successfully transitioned Imagine Etiquette’s delivery platform and launched Imagine Etiquette’s Virtual After School Enrichment (VASE™) program to meet the needs of students’ emotional health and wellbeing. Bernadette understands the tremendous pressure put on families through both the pandemic and the closure of schools. To help elevate some of the social anxiety and loss of self-worth, Bernadette created the SEVA™ Guide Book for Parents to assist in developing confidence and self-esteem in their children. Bernadette also launched Imagine Etiquette's Youth Foundation ("IEYF"). IEYF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides educational programs in financial literacy and lifestyle, including mental health and wellness workshops for students and parents to deal with emotional and generational trauma.

 

Bernadette and Imagine Etiquette have been featured on KABC News, ESPN LA, KNBC News, BeondTV, BNC News, LA Parent Magazine, and The Wave Newspaper. Bernadette was an honoree for the 1st Annual Sister Circle, 54th Assembly District, by Assembly Member Sydney Kamlager. Bernadette has been a guest speaker for the LA Sparks, National Charity League, Inc., and Jenesse Center, Inc.

 

A proud member of NAWBO-LA and USC Bridges to Business Program (Alumna Ambassador), Bernadette also holds a Career Technical Education Teaching Credential ("CTE") and is certified as a Women Minority Business Owner ("WMBE").

 

Living her most rewarding life in Los Angeles, Bernadette is married and has a daughter. Bernadette hopes her daughter will carry on the family tradition and encourage, empower, and elevate the next generation of children on the value of social etiquette, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.