# data[].attributes.body
My name is Allison Phillippe. I graduated from GVSU in 2010 with a degree in Elementary Education. I taught for four years in Phoenix, Arizona. Now I teach 4th Grade in Jenison. I love reading, swimming, hiking, and spending time with my family. I have 11 month old twin daughters named Anna and Cora.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Sonja Engelsma. I graduated from GVSU in 2014 with a degree in Special Education. I am currently in my fifth year of teaching students with cognitive impairments. When I have free time I can often be found hanging out with my two nieces and one nephew. I also enjoy being in and around water and competing in triathlons.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Nicole Terpstra. I grew up in Jenison, Michigan and graduated from GVSU in 2009. I taught in North Carolina for 7 years and moved back to Michigan in August 2017. I currently teach 2nd grade in Hudsonville, MI. I love living in Michigan and spending the beautiful summers on the beaches of Lake Michigan. I also love spending more time with my family and my young nephews.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi! My name is Carly De Leeuw. I live in Grand Rapids and currently teach at Excel Charter Academy, which is where I went to school myself as a kid! I graduated from GVSU in 2014 and then moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana where I taught for 3 years in 4th/5th grade. (I'm posting a picture with crawfish because Louisiana does it best!!) I have a dog named Mischa who is a half black lab/half golden retriever, and I have a huge family that I love to spend time with (9 siblings, 6 in-laws, and 11 nieces and nephews!) :)

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Melissa Vanderstelt. I am married to my husband of 6 years, Steve. We have two children, Breanna (4) and Kamden (15 months). I live and work in Grand Haven. I love to be outside with my family! We have a boat that we spend much of our summer on in Spring Lake.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone! I am a late addition to the class. I am trying to catch up on things but look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday! I am a teacher in Rockford Public Schools. I am married and have 3 kiddos of my own. My oldest son just started Kindergarten this year!

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Gayle Lotterman. I graduated from GVSU in 2014 with a degree in K-12 Art Ed (hoping to teach high school art), but I found a job teaching 3rd grade gen ed at Hope Protestant Reformed Christian School instead. It was a bit of an unconventional road getting here, but I love my position in 3rd grade! I still love to create art, and a few other favorite pastimes are playing volleyball, reading books, and hanging out with my friends and family.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Allison Nieboer and my husband and I live in Muskegon, MI. We just bought our house back in May and we successfully painted this past weekend! We are both avid readers and gardeners. This year we grew and canned tomatoes as well as made salsa. I'm loving my new class and my third year of teaching.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Mikaela Geers and I am orginally from Holland, MI. I graduated from Hope College in 2016 and then got a job teaching 5th grade at West Side Christian School. I moved to the West Side after getting married to my husband Ben last summer. I am entering my 3rd year of teaching this year which has been the smoothest one yet!

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Katie Gale and I am from Portage, MI. My boyfriend (of 8.5 years-whoa!) found an amazing job here and that is why we moved to Grand Rapids almost 4 years ago. We absolutely love it! I went to Western Michigan University and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education with the Early Childhood Endorsement. I have taught Young 5's, 2nd Grade, and am currently on my second year teaching 1st grade! We don't have any kiddos currently but we absolutely adore our German Shepherd Mix, Sophie. She basically travels everywhere with us! Our favorite place to go is, "Up North."

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Debra Rajaratne and I am originally from Kingsley, Michigan (14 miles south of Traverse City, MI).  I moved to GR in October 2012 after being laid off from my teaching job in Northern Michigan and have now been with Kent ISD at the Kent Transition Center for 6 years where I teach ELA with a career focus (which I have nicknamed COLA) where I help the students do anything and everything connected to reading, writing, and speaking that would help them gain entry-level employment.
I am in this program because I would like to learn more ways in which I can help my students, but also would like to either be a reading consultant or an administrator some day and thought that this degree would help lead my organization towards more sound practices in literacy.
I love traveling, cooking, learning about various cultures and geographic landforms, learning languages, and music (singing and playing instruments), and spending time with my husband.  ]I am super stoked because in December, we are traveling to Sri Lanka where I will sing for my brother in law's wedding, see and swim in the Indian Ocean, and go to an elephant orphanage where I will feed baby elephants with a bottle!  .

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Dan Van Wyk. I graduated from Grand Valley in 2005 and moved to New Mexico to teach Physical Education. After four years out west my family and I moved back to West Michigan where I left teaching for a few year to pursue opportunities in my families businesses. After almost 4 years away I knew that my heart was back in a school so I left to begin substituting. I am in the program to obtain my elementary teaching endorsement and hope to become a 5th or 6th grade teacher. I am currently working at Nickels Intermediate School in Byron Center and work with a great staff and awesome kids. In my free time I am an avid Ultramarathon runner and love spending time outdoors, usually near a trail.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Katlyn (Katie) Harrison and I teach 2nd grade at Greenville Public Schools. I attended GVSU for undergrad and like being back for grad classes. I am married, have a sweet puppy named Charlie and love to spend time outside.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Matraca Tolan. I am from Middleville, MI. I went to Grand Valley and got my degree in elementary education and emphasis in group social studies. I currently teach first grade at Delton Kellogg Elementary. This will be my second year and I can't wait to meet my kiddos next week. I became an auntie this summer and absolutely love spending any time I can with Colton Joseph.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello, my name is Bethany Sweedyk. I am from Grand Rapids, MI. I went to GVSU for my undergrad where I got a degree in elementary education with an emphasis on English Language Arts. I teach 1st grade for Grandville and love every second of it! This will be my 2nd year of teaching. On my free time I like to cook, go to the beach, workout, and hang out with my family, and friends!

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Stephanie Daling and I live in Jenison, MI. I studied secondary education, biology and chemistry at GVSU, but am currently teaching 2nd grade in a private school - this is the start of year 3! I have been married for 2.5 years, and we absolutely love to travel. We explored Ireland this summer, Mexico this coming December, and are currently planning our Europe trip for Summer 2019!

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Kristin and I live in Jenison, MI. I recently moved to Michigan with my fiancé, our golden retriever puppy (Thor) and our two cats (Luna and Rey). We moved from Buffalo NY, and so far we have loved Michigan and all it has to offer us! In New York I taught high school special education for 2 years as well as helped coach softball and basketball! Back in December my fiancé and I got engaged on our 2 year anniversary in front of the Hogwarts castle at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and we are getting married in Buffalo New York April 13, 2019!