Your Extraordinary Summer Teacher Bios
MITY’s educators are passionate, funny, creative, and inspiring. They encourage students to ask questions, challenge them to figure out answers, and spark a lifelong interest in learning.
“Every time I would give up, they would help me try again. They always saw the best in me.”
- YES student
“All of the teachers are lovely, smart, and caring. They are great at meeting all of the students where they are at."
- YES parent
Andrea McCarty
Andrea has loved being a teacher at Cedar Ridge Elementary in Eden Prairie for 29 years. She spent ...
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Andrew Banker
Andrew is a STEM educator who is constantly musing about science. He is laser-focused on teaching young people ...
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Beth Wakefield
Beth Wakefield holds a B.S. and M. Ed. in Education from the University of Minnesota. She has been ...
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Bill Nara
Bill has been a licensed 7-12 Social Studies Teacher since 2000 and also teaches Chess, Tabletop Strategy Gaming, ...
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David Fraatz
David has been a 3M Visiting Wizard for over 20 years, giving science demonstrations to schools in the ...
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Ellen Scharfenberg
Ellen has been sharing her love of visual arts with young people for over seven years. She currently ...
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Hawken Paul
Hawken is a Minneapolis-based actor, musician and teaching artist. In addition to his work with MITY, Hawken teaches ...
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Heather Mastel
Heather has a BA in theatre and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Hamline University. She currently ...
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Heather McKinley
For Heather, teaching is a calling and a passion. She has over 2 decades of experience, including serving ...
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Jacqueline (Jackie) Di Giacomo
Jackie is an Advanced Learning Instructor who teaches Independent Investigations (research) and Project Think (engineering design) to elementary ...
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Jennifer Noreault
Jennifer is a STEM Specialist in Lakeville Public Schools. She has a B.A. in Elementary Education from Trinity ...
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Joan Wright
Joan has been teaching for 30 years and has worked with students in Kindergarten through 6th grade. She ...
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Katherine Fraatz
Kathy has over 25 years of experience working in schools as a PreK - 12 teacher, administrator, trainer, ...
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Kathryn Marget
Kathryn has worked in gifted education her entire career and currently serves as the K-12 Advanced Academics Coordinator ...
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Laura Pettis
Laura has been teaching in the Lakeville Area Public Schools for more than two decades and is currently ...
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Leah Yoemans
Leah holds a BS in Elementary Education and 5-8 Science from Minnesota State University Mankato, an M.Ed. in ...
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Max Donsker
Max has been working in education for over 19 years and has taught all grades From K-12. He ...
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Melissa Tapper
Melissa has been in education for 20 years, working as a 1st and 3rd grade teacher, a middle ...
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Michelle Markov
Michelle has a passion for engaging learners in the classroom and beyond. She is a constant learner herself ...
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Molly Hammel
Molly holds a BA in Elementary and Middle School Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and ...
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Nick Olson
Nick has a B.S. degree in Computer Science and although his day job is software development, he has ...
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Rachel McLaughlin
Rachel is currently the Gifted & Talented Services Coordinator in Inver Grove Heights, where she has worked for ...
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Sam Graf
In his work as a Middle School Math Teacher and Math Team Coach, Sam delights in mathematical discovery ...
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Sean Andrews
Sean is a Director of Technology and Academic Technologist with a master's degree in Learning and Emerging Technologies. ...
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Snapology
Snapology offers enrichment classes and camps in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM). Their ...
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Sue Cranston
Sue is a working artist and professional art instructor who specializes in mixed-media art with a strong focus ...
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Tech Academy
Formerly Computer Explorers, Tech Academy has been enriching Minnesota’s children with research-based Technology and Science classes and camps ...
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