Inclusion on this list is voluntary for current students, so cohorts may be larger than depicted here.

Jessica Addie

Jessica Addie is a 17-year primary teacher. She has three beautiful daughters, a wonderful husband who is her college sweetheart, and they live in Ellington. Addie has bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Hartford and is also a self-published children’s author. Her experience lies in grades PreK-2 and is excited to build in more STEM education for the students she currently serves.

Nasreen Al Omari

Nasreen Al Omari is a lifelong learner who's always looking for the next learning opportunity. She's a community leader, parent advocate, and a mother of six. She also has a Ph.D. in Education, specializing in English Language Learners. She is the ESL Facilitator and teaches ESL for East Hartford Adult Education. She has great communication skills and loves making connections with everyone she meets.

Julia Cricchi

Julia Cricchi has been working in education for 10 years. Her priorities in her work are to prove what is possible for all children. She has held several different roles in her time in education; however, they have all involved serving students with disabilities. In her work, Cricchi is dedicated to ensuring an equitable experience for all students by maintaining high expectations and also challenging systems of bias. She is originally from Groton, CT, and is a proud alum of the Neag School of Education. Outside of school, Cricchi loves to spend time with her husband and their silly boxer Leila.

Larry Kaplan

Larry Kaplan comes from a family of teachers, so he naturally ran in the opposite direction during the early stages of his career. Eventually, he found his way to education and found constant fulfillment in the value he could provide to other people's lives. He is currently a special education teacher at Bennet Academy in Manchester and lives in Glastonbury with his wife, 3-year-old son James, and dog Chunk. He also coaches high school baseball in Glastonbury.

Amanda LoStimolo

Amanda LoStimolo works in Hartford Public Schools at McDonough Middle School as a resource teacher, specializing in literacy. She graduated from UConn as an undergraduate student with her BA in English and human development and family studies, then attended Fordham University where she received her MS in teaching secondary English. She also attended the Institute of Education at University College London where she received a Master's with Distinction in social justice and education. She got married in 2022 to her husband in London and they have two wonderful pets.

Christopher Messier

Christopher Messier am currently the Lead Teacher at Center School in Ellington as well as the SRBI coordinator for the three elementary schools in the district. He attended Syracuse University where he majored in Inclusive Elementary and Special Education and received his master's degree in education from Southern New Hampshire University. Messier grew up in northern Vermont where he taught fifth and sixth grade for four years before moving to Connecticut in 2019 to teach sixth grade math. During his years in the classroom, Messier developed a strong passion for math instruction that still continues to this day. When not in school you are likely to find him outdoors staying active or cheering on the Patriots! He currently lives in Middletown with his wife who is also an educator.

Sharray Perry

Sharray Perry obtained her license as a clinical social worker in 2016 and, prior to her transition to education, served as the clinical director of a nonprofit in Waterbury. Sharray plans to take her clinical leadership experience, knowledge, and skills and support the collaborative efforts of communities and schools in providing an equitable educational experience for all students. Since 2020, Sharray has been licensed as a school social worker. She currently serves the Bowers Elementary School community in Manchester. Sharray is passionate about working with and supporting children and their families. Sharray realizes that a positive educational experience can have an impact on one’s life and outlook.

Michael Presti

Michael Presti currently serves as the eighth grade social studies teacher at the Interdistrict School for Arts and Communication (ISAAC) in New London, CT. He had previously held the same post for two years at Teachers’ Memorial Middle School in Norwich, CT. He is also the head coach for the cross-country team and has served as the Environmental Club advisor. Previous to becoming a teacher, Presti had the honor of serving for over 24 years in the United States Coast Guard, retiring in 2019. His final assignment was as a military leadership instructor to over 120 cadets at the Coast Guard Academy in New London. Presti earned his Bachelor of Science in Criminology/Sociology from Southern Connecticut State University and a Master of Arts in Education from Sacred Heart University. Presti is married to Allyson Presti, and they have two daughters, Lauren and Isabella.

Michael Stroneski

The ultimate homer, Michael Stroneski loves Connecticut, especially southeastern Connecticut. He has a curious and eclectic personality that has presented him with a wide variety of life experiences from music blogging to carpentry. He has been an assistant basketball coach at Waterford High School for eight seasons, winning two state championships in that time. When he's not coaching or teaching, he likes being with his friends and family. He enjoys traveling, reading poetry, riding his bike, and spending time at the beach.

Rocío Tinoco

Rocío Tinoco is a Latina who immigrated with her family from Mexico at a young age. She grew up in Chicago and attended inner city schools. She received a full ride to Connecticut College where she majored in Hispanic studies and received her elementary teaching certificate. From there, she stayed in New London working as a bilingual teacher at Bennie Dover Jackson Multi-Magnet Middle School, teaching reading and math to newly arrived students to the U.S. She then went on to receive her master's in bilingual education from Eastern Connecticut State University.