Children's Journey Preschool
Staff Biographies
Trisha Vigo - Facility Administrator
I have been with Children’s Journey Preschool since January of 2012. I started here as an assistant in the infant room before I moved to a lead teacher position in our toddler class in late 2012. In the summer of 2012, I was also promoted to supervising teacher. I held both positions until June of 2014 when I was promoted to Assistant Director. I have worked and helped with all of the age groups at CJP from infant through VPK. In 2017, I was promoted to Preschool Director. I have known since I was a small child that I wanted to work with children. I truly believe that their education starts with us. I feel great knowing that what I do makes a difference and paves the way for their future development and education. I want all the children in my care to succeed in everything they do, to feel loved, safe, and excited about coming to school. In October of 2020, I began my new role as Facility Administrator for CJP and Redeemer.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my son and a wonderful husband. I also love being in the water whether it’s at the beach or a pool. I love to do DIY projects, take photographs, and spend time with the rest of my family and friends.
I look forward to getting to know your child and family and want to thank you for allowing us to be a part of your child’s development.
Mary Barrett - Preschool Director
I have been working at CJP since April of 2013, and I have taught in all of the classrooms from Infant - VPK. In 2017, I became the curriculum specialist at CJP until I was promoted to Assistant Director in the fall of 2018. I have always wanted a job where I felt I could help children and make a difference in their life. Working with children to me is such an important job, and I get to have fun at the same time. My favorite thing about teaching is that even I, as the adult, learn new things every day. I want to provide a warm and loving environment for children that helps them learn and grow. In October of 2020, I was promoted to Preschool Director.
Outside of work, I love trivia, arts and crafts, reading, and going to Starbucks. I married my best friend in 2017 and we welcomed our first child, a beautiful baby girl, to the world in 2019. I also have a dog-named Boggie that is a Maltese Shitzu mix and is like another child to me and our little family is expecting our next child in 2021.
I look forward to getting to know your children and family.
Leya Dreggors - VPK Teacher and Curriculum Specialist
I have been working with children in Preschool and VPK since 2005 and I joined the CJP teaching team in July of 2017. Teaching is the only career choice I have ever wanted for myself. I love teaching children new things and see the looks on their faces when they grasp a new concept. I hope to teach children that they are strong and confident learners capable of anything they set their minds to. In 2019 I was promoted to Curriculum Specialist which I do while still teaching one of our VPK classes.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my two wonderful daughters. I also enjoy boating, doing crafts, and reading.
I look forward to getting to know your child and your family.
Carleigh Parson - Support Staff and Office Assistant
Heather Ray - Infant Lead Teacher and Infant/Toddler Supervisor
I have been teaching at Children’s Journey Preschool since August of 2016 and love the school family we have here. I have taken care of young children in various settings since I was a young adult. I have cared for children as young as one week all the way through 12 years old. I love to see kids laugh and play. It is amazing to watch them discover something new or figure out how something works. When I work with young children, I want to help them grow and learn new and exciting things. I believe that the most important part of early childhood education is providing children with a safe and loving environment to learn, grow, and be themselves. In August of 2020, I was promoted to Infant/toddler supervisor and I am loving sharing my experience and knowledge with other teachers.
Outside of work, I love to craft. I can make many things! I also enjoy painting, bowling, and spending time with my husband. We hope to have children of our own soon.
I look forward to getting to know you and watching your child grow at CJP!
Mercedes Paredes - Assistant Infant Teacher
Wendy Thompson - Infant 2 Lead Teacher
Joanna Mantilla - Toddler 1 Lead Teacher
Janette Seleman - Toddler 1 Assistant Teacher
Alexandra Cardona Nieves
Janitzia Nunez - Toddler 2 Lead Teacher
Adalynn Minello - Toddler 2 Assistant Teacher
Hello, my name is Adalynn Minello. I was born and raised in Florida and have lived local my whole life. I graduated from Lyman High School in 2018 and immediately started taking classes at Seminole State College. I hope to obtain my degree to work in pediatrics in the future.
I have spent many summers volunteering at a soccer church camp with children from ages one through seven. I have also done regular babysitting throughout the years and have played a big role in helping care for my 5 year old nephew. I joined the CJP team in August of 2020 and I am so excited to be here working with the little ones. I love working with children because it’s so important at their age to have the most positive guidance. I hope I can be the one to inspire them and be their positive influence. I want to give all the children in my care a safe and loving place to come to. Somewhere that learning is fun! The most important thing we can do for children is to provide them with a loving and caring environment.
Outside of work, I enjoy playing soccer, spending time with my family, swimming, and visiting the beach. I live with my parents and younger brother who is my greatest friend.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with your children. I hope to inspire, educate, and have so much fun with them!
Stephanie Evans - Toddler 2 Assistant Teacher
Grace Bartlett - EPS1 Lead Teacher
Stacie Ripley - EPS1 Assistant Teacher
Savannah Marsden - EPS2 Lead Teacher
I’ve spent many years working as a babysitter, caring for family members children, working at another childcare center, and raising my own daughter. I joined the CJP team in June of 2020 and I am so excited to become a part of the CJP family! I love working with children because I am a very nurturing person at heart and I love seeing things through their little eyes. I enjoy the excitement they experience when they learn something new and they encourage me to be as creative as I can. I’ve known since I was little that I wanted to work with children. I hope that I am able to help build confidence in the children in my care and that they always feel happy, positive, and inspired. The most important part about what we do here is allowing children to learn in their own way and making sure that they know their way of learning makes them unique and it is important to us.
Outside of work, I dedicate most of my time to being with my daughter doing fun things like hiking, spending time with family, and cooking.
I look forward to building a relationship with your children and assisting with their growth and development in this crucial stage of their lives.
Bianca Castro - EPS2 Assistant Teacher
Casandra Duncan
Jessica Belleville - Preschool 3's Co-Teacher
Reba Shinn - Preschool 3's Co-Teacher
Sharna Johnson- VPK A
Lauren Cangimilla - VPK B Teacher
Hello, my name is Lauren Cangimilla. I grew up in Massachusettes, but my family moved to Florida when I was younger in order to provide us with better educational opportunities. I received my Associate’s degree from Seminole State College with a focus on early childhood education and I have completed my training through the department of children and families. I plan to continue my education in the field of early childhood.
My experience working with children has varied from working at a local Church Preschool and being a swim instructor for 10 years. Working with children in the water taught me a lot about patience, safety, and being able to help children in unique ways. I’ve always spent over 10 years babysitting for various families. I joined the CJP team in June of 2020 and I can’t wait to start this new adventure with my new school family. I love working with children because I
love watching them learn and become more confident in themselves. I hope that when children are in my care, I can build their confidence even more and help them grow as little people. I believe a child’s social and emotional development should be a top priority and this is what I strive to work on daily with the students in my care.
Outside of work, I collect house plants and I love going to the beach. I also enjoy spending time with my family, friends, and cat named Hallie.
I look forward to getting to know your child and your family and I thank you for allowing me to be a part of their development and education.