World Tea Academy LIVE! Kicks off a Week of 
Tea Learning Experiences This May

Tea Education/Certification Program Takes Place May 4, Just Prior to the Opening of World Tea Expo WTA Live! 2015 Photo 4World Tea Expo is hosting World Tea Academy LIVE! just before the upcoming event, which takes place May 6 – 8, 2015 in Long Beach, Calif. at the Long Beach Convention Center. World Tea Academy (WTA) is the leading online tea education and certification program, and World Tea Academy LIVE! is an in-person "taste" of what the online program has to offer. Advance registration and information is at WorldTeaExpo.com. Those who register for World Tea Academy LIVE!, May 4 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., will take the first step towards achieving industry certification. Participants will fulfill a requisite class: “Essentials of Camellia Sinensis,” presented by instructors Dan Robertson, founder and owner of The Tea House & World Tours, and Babette Donaldson, author of The Everything Healthy Tea Book. This class introduces the tea plant, Camellia sinensis and the three factors that make it possible for this one plant to be the source of hundreds of kinds of teas. It also explores the botany of the plant, including the history, varieties, cultivars and cellular chemistry.  The class continues with the six stages of tea processing and an overview of the six types of tea that come from this single amazing plant. The session includes an introduction to professional cupping and the sensory evaluation of tea. WTA Live! 2015 PhotoWith the World Tea Academy LIVE! class completed, students can continue their certification journey online through World Tea Academy, from the organizers of World Tea Expo and the North American Tea Championship. WTA is a digital-based learning platform that incorporates robust features and creates classroom-like environments for student-to-student interaction. The Academy offers the core WTA Certified Tea Specialist program, as well as higher-level accreditation, including: WTA Certified Tea Professional, WTA Certified Tea Sommelier and WTA Certified Tea Health Expert. World Tea Academy classes are filled with rich content, videos, key learning points, group discussions and downloadable course materials. The curriculum covers a variety of educational topics, including: Tea Enhancements and Grading Systems; Tea Terroir; Tea Cupping; Quality Systems for Product Management; Presentation and Advanced Brewing Techniques; Tea Sommelier Essentials; Advanced Herbal Teas; Health Benefits of Tea; and Blending, Flavoring & Scenting, among others. WTA Live! 2015 Photo 3Each week, new educational content is unlocked for enrolled students. Week One and Week Two of the Core-level program provide key learning materials and content, and Week Three focuses on professionally cupping teas. Students are shipped teas and a Cupping Lab Starter Kit that includes cupping sets, digital scale, thermometer and timer. Teas frequently sent to students for cupping exercises contain North American Tea Championship winning teas. Higher level class formats vary within each three-week session. The Academy receives support and oversight from its Strategic Technical Advisers, all recognizable luminaries. And since launching in 2013, the Academy has spanned 25 countries, six continents, six Canadian provinces and 32 states in America. To register for World Tea Academy LIVE! at World Tea Expo, visit WorldTeaExpo.com. Or learn more about the programs and online class schedules at WorldTeaAcademy.com. Call 702-789-1839 or email [email protected] with questions.