Miss Abraha grew up in Memphis, TN where her parents originally moved after leaving Eritrea. Her passion for science and education led her to complete her studies in Biology and Education at Tufts University. She is currently a part of the NYC Teaching Fellows Program where she will be a teacher here at AMS and completing her MA in science for teaching. Her goal in life is to make education equitable and enjoyable for all students, especially Black and Latinx youth. Outside of the classroom, Miss Abraha loves hiking, community service, and hanging out at parks with her friends!
Mr. Agosto grew up in San Juan, PR. After graduating from the University of Puerto Rico, Harold moves to NYC to complete a Masters from CUNY Lehman College. His teaching style is based on storytelling and most importantly critical thinking for all musical genres. Playing drums, woodworking, and, Formula 1 are some of his favorite things to do.
Ms. Alejandro is from the boogie down Bronx but has lived across all five boroughs. She went to the Cambridge Institute of Healthcare & Technology to pursue a Medical career but realized that her passion was guiding the youth as she was given the opportunity to work at AMS. Ms. Alejandro has 15 siblings but none are as dear to her heart as her daughter Anaya.
Ms. Alvarez is born and raised in the Bronx. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Lehman College, then went on to graduate with her Master’s degree in Mathematics Education. She worked as a paraprofessional for 6 years before transitioning to a teacher. When she’s not at AMS, Ms. Alvarez loves to collect crystals, catch up on her series and enjoy the comforts of her home, while drinking her water and minding her business.
Ms. Apunte (she/her) is from the South Bronx and has lived here her whole life. She comes from an Ecuadorian immigrant family and has grown up loving education. She attended Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA where she received her B.A. in Spanish and Theater. There she was a Posse scholar, a campus activist and leader, and a sister of Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority Inc. She is currently pursuing her Masters at City College while beginning her teaching journey at AMS. She loves spending time with her cat Milly, days spent with her friends and family, and traveling to new places while trying new foods! She is extremely thankful and excited to connect with you all.
Ms. Arlak is from north Jersey but now resides in Manhattan. She went to Virginia Tech for her undergraduate studies, where she earned a B.A. in Art History and a B.S. in Marketing. Her first master's degree is from the Fashion Institute of Technology. After a career in the fashion industry she became a NYC Teaching Fellow and earned a master's to teach math from Relay Graduate School of Education. Ms. Arlak loves playing with her dogs and spending time at the beach reading. Since the quarantine, she's developed a love of cooking and running!
Ms. Ayala was born and raised in the Da Boogie Down Bronx, and currently resides in Yonkers. She attended Pace University for her undergraduate studies and majored in Psychology. In 2010, she earned a Masters in Social Work (MSW) from Fordham University. Ms. Ayala has a wife and 3 boys at home and in her spare time she enjoys playing softball, darts, and traveling. Lastly, Ms. Ayala is a certified geek who attends comic-con every year and loves all things related to Batman.
Mr. Azcuy grew up in Booklyn, his passion for art and art education led him to LaGuardia HS, The Cooper Union, Columbia University and City College. He is the proud father of three children, Savion, Zaiden and Soleil. Mr. Azcuy loves sunsets, creating art, walking his dog, watering his plants, feeding his guinea pigs, riding his bike to work and telling corny jokes to his friends, family and students.
Mr. Baker was born and raised in Maryland and made his way to Brooklyn after graduating from Howard University. He earned his Masters of Education from Lehman College CUNY and has since made the Bronx his second home.When he is not teaching math, you can find him coaching the wrestling team, reading a good book, enjoying the beauty of nature, or sneezing his head off.
Mr. Batista is from the Bronx, born and raised. He attended SUNY at Purchase for his undergraduate degree, Mercy College for his Masters and The College of St. Rose for School Building Leadership. Mr. Batista started at AMS as an Assistant Dean in 2010 and in 2011 became a teacher. Mr. Batista enjoys spending time with his family and DIY projects at home.
Miss Bernard grew up on the island of Jamaica and has made the Bronx her new home. Her passion for science and STEM education led her to complete an undergraduate degree in Applied Chemistry at the UWI, before moving to Pace University for graduate studies. Miss Bernard loves road trips, communing in her faith community, watching documentaries about World War 1 and telling incredibly corny Chemistry jokes.
Ms. Best is originally from Reno, Nevada but has spent the last six years teaching middle school social studies in San Francisco. She just moved to NYC and is so excited for her new adventure, especially teaching at AMS! Her favorite part about teaching is building community and fostering relationships with her students. In her free time she enjoys eating, reading a good book, traveling, spending time with her friends & family and watching sports!
Ms. Bregante grew up in Westchester, NY, and just recently moved to Manhattan to pursue her teaching career in the Bronx. As a recent graduate from Fordham University with a BS in Mathematics and Fordham’s Graduate School of Education with an MS in Adolescent Mathematics Education, Ms. Bregante could not be more excited to begin her teaching career at AMS to inspire young adults to learn mathematics in an engaging, fun, and relatable way. Ms. Bregante loves going for walks, dancing, traveling, listening to music (she’s a big Harry Styles fan!), and spending time with friends and family (and, of course, her dog too!).
Mr. Broad was born and raised in the Bronx and joined the Air Force after high school. He attended numerous colleges such as Lehman College, University of Maryland, and Anne Arundel Community College before completing his degree in History at Montclair State University in New Jersey. Mr. Broad received his Masters from Mercy College in Urban Studies. Mr. Broad is in his 15th year of teaching in NYC and 7th year at AMS. His favorite activities are watching soccer, fantasy football, and reading as much science fiction as he can.
Ms. Melvin-Cameron is a ParaEducator, and has 32 years of experience with working with all students in different capacity, she studied at North Carolina Central University, and later decided to move to NYC to continue her studies, Ms Cameron has a great love for plants, she is very active in her church community, and enjoy spending time with family and friends . Ms. Cameron has been apart of the AMS family for 9 years.
Ms. Candelario grew up in Washington Heights then suddenly when she was 11, she moved to the Bronx, and she thought her life was over! Luckily for her the Bronx quickly became home, and she couldn’t imagine herself living anywhere else. She received her A.A.S in Early Childhood Education, B.A. in History from Hunter College then became a part of the NYC Teaching Fellows to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. She is currently working on her Master of Education from Lehman College. Her inspiration to teach derived from the amazing teachers she’s had in her life. She hopes to instill a love for learning in her students and inspire them to pursue their dreams. In her free time, Ms. Candelario loves traveling, nature, thrill-seeking, music, shopping, video games, watching documentaries and spending time with her family, friends, and adorable dog Sparky.
Ms. Carsky grew up with a grandmother and a mother who loved being teachers, so it was only natural that when her 3rd grade teacher told her to draw what she wanted to be when she grew up, she drew herself teaching. In the drawing, she was holding a piece of chalk in front of a blackboard (remember those?), with a big smile, surrounded by children. All of her elementary, middle and high school years were spent in Nigeria, Cameroon and Benin. She loved growing up in West Africa. It's what fueled her passion for history, geography, language, spirituality, art and dance. Fun facts: 1. Ms. Carsky’s first language was Brazilian Portuguese, and her first word was "Goal!". 2. She’s a certified yoga instructor. 3. She used to have a pet goat named Rainbow, but then her parents sent him to live on "a farm where he would have more space to play". She now realizes that she ate Rainbow.
Mr. Cherry was born and raised in BROOKLYN, NY, his passion for basketball and math led him to Frederick Douglass Academy HS, University at Albany, and Lehman College. He received his bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University at Albany. Mr. Cherry loves basketball, he played varsity all 4 years in HS. He was so nice. I think he should have played in the NBA lol. He is currently a HS math teacher at AMS and can’t wait to start the school year!
Miss Chung grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and moved to New York to pursue a BA in English and creative writing at New York University where she became an accidental teacher through the New York City Teaching Fellows program, earning an MS in Adolescent English Education at Hunter College. She began her first year of teaching at AMS fifteen years ago as a 7th grade humanities teacher in Rm. 4 & immediately fell in love with teaching, AMS, & her students. Her passion for and commitment to equitable public education experiences for all young people led her to return to New York University for an MA in educational leadership in 2011 & now, to pursue her doctorate in urban education leadership at Columbia University's Teachers College. She currently lives in East Harlem & loves to travel, wander the city, try new restaurants, read, write, eat everything she can find, hang out with AMS babies, & be near/on the water as often as possible.
Ms. Cole was born and raised on Long Island and currently still lives there with her husband and two children. Ms. Cole started working as a school counselor in 2009 at a charter school just 2 miles away from AMS. In 2014 she came to AMS as the new middle school counselor. She graduated from Queens College with both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. While in college she studied abroad in England and has traveled to over 10 different countries. Once her kids are older she would like to travel more. Ms. Cole loves the beach and being with her friends and family.
Mr. Dearden (he/him/his) grew up in central Massachusetts before attending Cornell University and eventually moving to Yonkers over twenty years ago. He has been an engineer, an Air Force officer, an investment banker, a real estate developer, and finally, a math teacher. His Chilean wife is a bilingual elementary teacher in the Bronx, and he has two daughters, one a biologist in NYC and one a college sophomore in Vermont. He loves animals, cooking, and listening to live music, especially at Shrine in Harlem. Fun facts: He lived in the Netherlands for two years, where he learned to enjoy Greek and Indian food, and during the COVID lockdown, he walked the entire length of the Old Croton Aqueduct. He is fluent in English and Math, and his favorite quote is by two first graders, Ava and Zoe, “Math is fun-hard. It’s fun to do, but hard. The hard helps you learn.”
Mr. Dominguez grew up in the Bronx. Both he and other members of his family have attended AMS since it was opened in 2005. He is a former Bathgate Bulldog & currently spends the bulk of his free time supporting our middle school after school program, NYJTL, & our young men’s leadership program, Umoja. When he is not at AMS, he enjoys hanging out with friends & family & learning new things.
Ms. Deen has had a passion for English ever since she was a little kid. She was born and raised in the Bronx and attended Bronx Studio School for Writers and Artists, Guttman Community College, and Hunter College for her Bachelors and Masters. She became a teacher after seeing the way the amazing teachers she had shaped her and motivated her to be the person she is today. Her interest in Special Education comes from wanting to give everyone the resources to have a voice and make a difference. Her favorite hobbies outside of school are playing games and spending time with her dog, Toast. She looks forward to being a part of the team that leads future generations to academic success.
Ms. DeVico is originally from Massachusetts but moved to Philadelphia Pennsylvania to attend Temple University, earning her Bachelor’s in Architecture. After practicing Architecture in Philadelphia, she changed careers. Moving to New York in 2011, Ms. DeVico began her tenure at AMS as a teaching fellow. Her MA in Secondary Math Education and Special Education is from St. John’s University and her MA in Educational Leadership is from the Urban Principal's Academy at Lehigh University. Ms. DeVico founded the PSAL Girls Varsity Basketball program here at Bathgate's campus and nowadays enjoys cheering the Bulldogs on with her daughter at her side.
Mrs. Emmanuel is a military brat who was born in Staten Island but grew up living in many different places such as Hawaii, Georgia, Washington, and Germany. Her desire to go into the education field came from being inspired by educators who were passionate about the subjects they taught because learning should be fascinating. Her love of reading resulted in a BA in Literature from Washington State University where she also gained life long sisters when becoming a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Additional studies resulted in a teaching certification from Florida Southern College. She is a self-proclaimed sneaker head and food enthusiast who has lived in the Bronx for the last 8 years with her husband and four children.
Ms. Fofana is a first-generation American. Her parents migrated from The Gambia and Senegal, countries on the west coast of Africa. Her interest in becoming a teacher began by re-examining her own adolescent educational experience. Growing up in the NYC DOE school system she did not have a person who looked like her teaching her. There was a disconnect when it came to understanding economic and social challenges that made her educational experience sort of a “unexpected success story”. She believes coming from similar conditions as the students she teaches allows her to have empathy and in the end maximize their success. Students deserve a teacher who pushes and motivates them to be their ultimate best. It will be her duty to cultivate and encourage high scholastic standards in all of her students. As their personal educational therapist, she aims to eliminate failure and maintain a progressive interest in college and beyond for all her students.
Ms. Garcia became a teacher because she is passionate about helping others. She wants to instill in all of her students that they can achieve anything they set their mind to. The sky’s the limit. If you can dream it, you can achieve it! She is a proud mom of two boys! In her spare time, she likes to watch scary movies and play video games.
Mr. A. Gonzalez is one of the AMS physical education teachers as well as the assistant basketball coach at Bathgate Educational Complex. He attended high school on Bathgate from 2008-2012. He is very family-oriented and loves to travel and incorporate things he learns in other places into his lessons to share a different perspective for his students.
Mr. T. Gonzalez likes coffee, the rain, and sandwiches. His daughter is his greatest joy. He is the luckiest man to be a 12th grade English teacher, surrounded by such amazing young people.
Ms. Hogness is originally from the small town of Mazama, Washington: population 198 people (no joke). Experiencing this small-scale public education, they immediately saw the inequity of women represented in STEM, specifically women of color. As they went on to college at Seattle University, they saw this same inequity reproduced at a much larger scale in their major department of mathematics. Around the same time, they also started working at an elementary school in Seattle, Bailey Gatzert. Within this community, they focused on creating an after school program to support femme scholars in STEM. This experience is what sparked their passion for educating equity in STEM, specifically the academic love of their life: mathematics. Outside of education, they love making art, writing and barbecuing in parks with family and friends!
Ms. Horel was born in Naples, Italy but grew-up in Irmo, South Carolina. In 2015, she graduated from the University of South Carolina with a BS in Mathematics. That same year she moved to New York City to teach at AMS. In 2017, she graduated from Relay Graduate School of Education with an MA in Teaching Secondary Mathematics. In her free time Ms. Horel loves to travel, read, and play soccer.
Mr. Latortue or Mr. L to the school community. L attended St. Peter’s University and majored in Psychology with a minor in Biology, he is currently in grad school at Hunter College earning his masters in Adolescents Special Education. L is also the head varsity basketball coach of our campus team and is entering his eleventh year coaching here. L is a huge fan of hip hop and enjoys going to concerts, and his favorite rapper is Jay Z.
Ms. Laurens was born and raised in The Bronx. Graduated from Borough of Manhattan Community College with a degree in Applied Science as well as NYS EMT license.
Being an Assistant Dean at AMS for the past 7 years has been one of the most fulfilling and gratifying positions Ms. Laurens has ever held.
When she is not working, she loves spending time and making memories with her amazing family.
Ms. Lowe is a lifelong New Yorker raised in the Bronx, where she still resides. She attended Mercy College for undergraduate studies and earned graduate degrees from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Lehman College, CUNY. She is a lifelong learner currently attending SUNY Albany.
She has taught in the Bronx for 22 years with the NYC Department of Education and is excited to join AMS in the role of School Librarian. Ms. Lowe entered education to guide and empower Bronx youth to be the best that they can. She continues in the field of education to educate, empower, amplify, and inspire others on their path to achieving their far-reaching goals and dreams.
Ms. Leonor (she/her) was born in the Dominican Republic, but raised in New York City (the Bronx, to be exact) since she was 1 year old. Her first language was Spanish, but she spoke both English and Spanish fluently by the age of 4. As a junior in high school, Ms. Leonor decided that she wanted to help marginalized people achieve the happiest and healthiest life they could, so she decided to become a therapist. After graduating in 2018 with a Bachelors in Psychology, she is currently in a Master's program and will graduate in 2022 with a Masters in Social Work and Education, in order to achieve that dream. Ms. Leonor loves listening to music, traveling and learning about other cultures, art, and writing.
Mr. McCausland was born in Boston and grew up mostly in the Mad River Valley of Vermont. He found a love for writing and words as an adolescent. He attended SUNY Purchase for Creative Writing and City College for his Masters in Education. His favorite book is Blood in my Eye by George Jackson. He enjoys wilderness camping, riding his bike around the city, emceeing, fishing, tending to his house plants, running, and homemade spicy foods.
Mr. Madison is originally from Detroit, Michigan and is a 3x master's degree holder, with the most important being in Special Education. Before beginning his career in education, he worked in entertainment as a backup dancer for Aretha Franklin and went on to perform in commercials, music videos and TV shows. He started at AMS in 2008 as a dance teacher and was responsible for curating the school's first talent show. In 2015, he transitioned further into the classroom as a middle school Humanities and ELA teacher. Now, he teaches high school Global. According to him, being an educator is definitely one of the most conscious and unparalleled choices he has ever made. Every moment that he gets to teach students that look like him (well, sort of) to be better than him, is a new teacher-student moment for his life’s history book.
Mr. Martich was born and raised in the Bronx. He went to Hunter College and majored in English and Psychology. His MA is in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. He loves classic literature, concerts, biking and travelling.
Mr. Le was born in Vietnam and moved to the Bronx in the 80s. There he attended Lehman College, CUNY for his undergraduate studies, where he majored in Business Education. Mr Le has been working in the Department of Education system for over 35 years now. In his free time he enjoys listening to live bolero music, dancing, traveling, swimming, and spending time with friends and his family.
Mr. Martinez was born and raised in the Bronx. When he is not at AMS serving as a dean and a Bathgate varsity baseball coach, he is playing with his huskies or hanging out with his family.
Mr. Melo was born and raised in the West Bronx. During his spare time, he enjoys playing basketball with friends, also spending as much time as possible with family members. The reason he became a teacher is he noticed the lack of Black and LatinX students in the college atmosphere. Unfortunately, Black and LatinX students drop–out or avoid college due to the lack of visibility of teachers whom look like them early in their educational career! Without relatable role models, students fall prey to the fixed mindset instilled on them by society. With that said, he pushed toward becoming the gatekeeper these students deserve.
Mr. Miske was born and raised in The Bronx and he has lived in New York for most of his life. He went to St. John's University for his undergraduate studies, where he majored in Sports Management. He earned his JD from New York Law School. Following a lengthy legal career where he shared a legal practice with his wife, Mr. Miske obtained his MS.Ed in Special Education from Lehman College. Mr. Miske is a parent to 4 children, including 1 college graduate and 2 soon to be college graduates. He is a huge sports fan (Go Yankees!) and he enjoys coaching youth sports during his free time. Mr. Miske now resides in Westchester County with his wife, their youngest son, and their 2 dogs.
Ms. Mobley is from Spanish Harlem, born and raised. She attended Nyack College, earning a BA in Sociology and her MA in Teaching at Relay Graduate school. She earned her MA in School Building Leadership and School District Leader certification at Fordham University. Ms. Mobley has been teaching at AMS since 2015. Ms. Mobley loves all things colorful, fun, and bright. Her core values are rooted in equity for ALL students no matter what. She loves to read, organize, spoil her adorable fur baby, Peanut, and shop for shoes and sneakers in her free time.
Mr. Padalino is originally from Rochester, New York, but has lived in New York City since 2011. He received his Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry from SUNY Fredonia, and his Masters in Education from Relay Graduate School of Education. In his free time Mr. Padalino enjoys computer programming, running, and practicing his killer shuffle dance moves!
Mr. Palmere was born and raised in Washington Heights and earned his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University at Albany. He is the AMS step/dance teacher/coach, a Nia mentor, the cheerleading coach, and the after school director. Mr. Palmere loves cooking, country music, engineering, and movies. Also, if you know any of these people, feel free to strike up a conversation with him: Zuko, Dobby, Uchiha Itachi, Jon Snow, Legolas, Spock, Jabbawockeez, Chewbacca, or Thor.
Ms. Pinto is originally from Long Island, NY and now resides in East Harlem. She graduated from Ithaca College with her Bachelors in Health and Physical Education Dual Teaching and is now pursuing her Masters in Community Health Education through SUNY Brockport. She has dedicated her career to educating young people about the benefits of health and wellness. Her teaching philosophy is that learning should be fun, engaging, and equitable for all students, regardless of their skill set. She believes teaching healthy behaviors will allow students to participate in life-long healthy practices. Ms. Pinto loves to travel, cook, watch movies, relax, shop, swim, and spend time with family and friends. During the summer time, she teaches children and adults how to swim!
Ms. Powell is from the Bronx & she comes from a Jamaican family. Being in education has always been one of her goals, as her mom is an educator. She went to the College of Mt. St. Vincent to obtain her Bachelors in Biology & Education and her Masters in Multicultural Education. She obtained her second masters in School Building Leadership at City College. She is a certified zumba instructor, loves to dance, teach zumba, try new foods, travel to new places, being in scenic places or near water and be with her two frenchies!
Ms. Quezada has been living in NYC for 25 years now; Washington Heights raised her. She is the mother of an eight year old who has made her realize the true significance of hard work. She is the type of person who prefers to jot down their ideas and brainstorm before finalizing anything. She is excited to be embarking on this new journey with the help and support from the AMS community.
Ms. Ramirez is originally from Bonao, Dominican Republic, but moved to New York in 1994. She did her 8th grade in JHS 22 in the Bronx, went to Manhattan Center for Science and Math for high school. She got her associates from BMCC and her Bachelors from University of Bridgeport CT. Started working at AMS in 2008 as an assistant Dean and is now our Parent Coordinator. Ms. Ramirez loves being a mom to 12 year old daughter Hayden, loves cooking and reading but has a passion for buying shoes.
Mr. Richardson was born in Kingston, Jamaica and has been living in the Bronx for 29 years now. During his free time he enjoys playing tennis and spending time with his family. He is happiest when he is teaching his son math, tennis and soccer.
Mr. Rivera is originally from the Bronx, New York. He went to Hunter College for his undergraduate studies, where he majored in English Language Arts. Mr. Rivera has his MA from the City College of New York in Education. In addition, he has a license in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Mr. Rivera started off as a paraprofessional at the Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science in 2011 and in 2015 became a teacher and ultimately an instructional team leader. Mr. Rivera is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, is an active runner, and travels the world.
Ms. Rojas is an Afro-Latina born in the Dominican capital of New York, Washington Heights. She went to City College of New York for her undergraduate studies, where she majored in Psychology. Ms. Rojas received her master’s degree in School Counseling from Manhattan College. This is the beginning of her 4th year as a guidance counselor; although she has been part of the AMS community for the last 8 years. Ms. Rojas is a hot wings enthusiast who loves to travel, and enjoys trying new restaurants.
Mr. Romain grew up in Queens NY where he attended St. John’s University. There he earned his bachelor’s degree in English Language Arts, with minors in secondary education and creative writing. Mr. Romain also attended Lehman College in the Bronx where he received a master’s degree and certification in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). As one of the founding members of AMS in 2004, Mr. Romain’s goal as an educator has always been to make school a fun, engaging, and rigorous environment that children consider a second home. He is a father of three amazing children, Makhias, Kieran, and Asania that he loves taking on outdoor adventures. In his spare time, Mr. Romain writes comic books, loves reading, anime, boxing, movie nights with his family, and watching the AMS community he helped build, grow, and flourish.
Mr Rosado born and raised in the Bronx is the oldest of 4 including his twin brother. The best thing is his son Matthew. Mr Rosado has a MSED in special education from Lehman College, MBA in Finance from Monroe College, and Bachelors in Criminal Justice from Monroe College. Mr Rosado served 13 years in the Army in which his job was Military Police and reached the rank of Staff Sergeant. Mr Rosado hobbies include weight lifting and day trading. (Be careful he can rep 315lbs on the bench press lol)
Ms. Russiello is from Brooklyn, New York. She attended the University of Michigan for undergraduate studies and returned to New York for two graduate degrees from Mercy College. Ms. Russiello, or Russi, enjoys traveling, eating out with friends, and watching international films.
Mr. Schoonmaker is originally from Rockland County, New York and has been teaching at AMS since 2006. He went to Fordham University for his undergraduate studies, where he majored in English and minored in History. He enjoyed his studies at Fordham so much that he decided to return there to receive his Masters in Education. Mr. Schoonmaker loves teaching, traveling, sports, books and movies.
Ms. Shoup is from Tampa, Florida and graduated from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida where she studied social science education. She currently lives in Queens with her long-term boyfriend. She loves cats, reading about history, roller skating, learning new languages, talking to friends and neighbors, and going to parks, museums, and the beach!
Ms. Sohna was born and raised in the Bronx, NY. Prior to teaching, Ms. Sohna completed her undergraduate studies in Sociology & Cultural Anthropology from Long Island University, received a graduate degree in Adolescent Education from NYIT and she is a recent graduate from Fordham University Educational Leadership, Advocacy and Policy Division. Ms. Sohna began her educational career as a Substitute teacher and Paraeducator in Seattle, Washington. In 2017, she returned back to NY and continued her path to teaching at AMS. Beyond teaching, Ms. Sohna is passionate about combining theory and practice into her everyday teaching. In addition to, creating a welcoming and affirming environment for all students to feel safe, empowered, and challenged.
Mr. Solages grew up in Jacmel, Haiti. His passion for mathematics and science led him to the School of Polytechnics and the City College. He is the proud father of three children, Lobyre, Jerinna and Christopher. Mr. Solages loves languages, reading and provoking laughter when surrounded by friends, family and students.
Ms. Stover is originally from Queens, New York and has called the Bronx her adopted borough since returning from Alaska in 2015. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Oakwood University, a Master of Science in Environmental Science from Tuskegee University, a Doctor of Philosophy in Crop and Soil Science from the University of Georgia, and completed her teacher training at Pace University. In her free time Ms. Stover enjoys baking, crafting, and watching movies with her family.
Ms. Taveras am an Afro-Latina from East Harlem. She became a teacher because of the wonderful experience that she had here as a student at AMS. Ms. Taveras was teaching in other schools, but knew that she always wanted to come back home. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking for my loved ones, exploring new spots in NYC, or curling up with my toy poodle, Sebastian. One fun fact about her is that in college, she studied abroad in the Czech Republic. It was one of the best experiences of my life! She loves traveling and always encourages her students to travel if given the opportunity. Travel is life! She is really excited and looking forward to the upcoming school year.
Mr. Taylor is from Cincinnati, but has lived in Manhattan and taught in the Bronx since 2017. Mr. Taylor graduated from the University of Kentucky with his undergraduate in Secondary Social Studies Education, and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction. He is currently pursuing his Masters in Education Administration at Hunter University. Mr. Taylor coaches the girls basketball team with Mr. Melo. In his spare time, Mr. Taylor enjoys spending time hiking, playing golf, traveling with his wife in all types of different places, and spending time with his fur babies!
Mr. Watson was born and raised in Durham, NC and a graduate of NC State University. After leaving a job in finance he decided to join the Peace Corps in 2018 where he served in Uganda as an Agribusiness and Economic Development volunteer for almost 2 years. While in Uganda, Mr. Watson discovered his passion for working with youth from all ages, and since returning home has worked in a Montessori and substitute taught in Ithaca, NY. Outside of teaching social studies Mr. Watson enjoys running on trails, watching movies, and traveling to see family and friends.