Hi! My name is Mary Barrett. I was born in St. Pete, Fl. I moved to Orlando to attend the University of Central Florida. I obtained my Bachelors in Art from UCF and in 2014; I received my Teaching Certificate from Valencia. I am a lifelong learner and enjoy the opportunities to study.

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.

Hi, my name is Heather Ray and I am originally from Michigan. I moved to Florida with my family in 2004. I graduated with honors from Lincoln Consolidated High School and took some general education classes at the college level. Currently, I am pursuing my Early Childhood Education Credentials with Seminole State College.

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!

Hi, My name is Wendy Thompson! I am originally from Missouri but moved to Florida with my family! I worked with children throughout my school experience and loved watching them grow and explore! I am a mom of 6 kids and 2 wonderful grandchildren! I want my students to have days filled with moments of learning, loving, and listening to each other! I think that this time in their lives shapes their minds to be our leaders of tomorrow! I look forward to getting to know you and your children!

Hello, my name is Joanna Mantilla and I am originally from New Jersey. I found myself in Florida when I decided I was ready for a change and I am so glad to be here. I am currently enrolled in college working toward my degree in Education at UCF. I have worked as a culinary teacher for children 3-years-old and up and in a childcare setting working with infants and toddlers. I come from a large family that has always believed it takes a village to raise a child, so it was always all hands on deck. I joined the CJP team in February of 2020 and I am very happy to be here. I love working with children because it is so much more than “earning a living”, it is a career that matters and a career that makes a difference in the lives of many. I hope to provide the children in my care with an environment that makes learning fun to really set the tone for their educational journey. I believe the most important part of early childhood education is showing love and letting children know that there is a community of people there for them. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, doing homework, and playing board games. I see my siblings almost every day and my mother a few times a week, so we are very close. I look forward and feel privileged to be a part of your child’s journey and being able to witness their personal growth.

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!

Hello, My name is Hayley Davis. I was born and raised in Winter Park, and am currently in college at Baptist College of Florida obtaining a degree in psychology! I have been babysitting and doing work as a nanny for many years before beginning teaching! My parents were also foster parents and I was able to learn and love so much from this experience! It is very important to me to provide a loving environment with positive reinforcement as they grow! Outside of work I love going to the beach and universal with my friends, and sending time with my family! I look forward to building a relationship with you and your child.

Hi, my name is Bianca Castro. I grew up in Mt. Sinai, New York until my family decided to relocate to Florida while I was attending Elementary School. After graduating high school, I attended college courses to become a veterinarian technician, but have since changed my major to Early Childhood Education. I’ve been a part of the CJP teaching team since December of 2016 working primarily with the infants. I have also worked with children from the infant classroom all the way through assisting in a VPK classroom in other settings. I love working with children because when they learn something new it is a very rewarding feeling knowing that I helped them along the way. I hope that I am always able to make learning fun for these precious children and that they have a desire to want to learn more after being with me. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my niece and nephew, participating in Making Strides against Breast Cancer, and watching movies. I look forward to getting to know your family and your child.

Hello, my name is Casandra Duncan! I was born in Bronx, New York but have spent most of my life in Florida and am currently enrolling in Seminole State College. I have worked as a director in afterschool programs for elementary age students and in VBS programs in the past. I have always wanted to work with children and find teaching to be so fulfilling. It is so important to me that I teach children to think positively and provide them a safe space to grow. Out side of work I spend time with my family and I love going to the park with my dog. Thank you for giving me this opportunity and I look forward to getting to know you and your child.

Hello, my name is Reba Shinn and I was born in Clearwater, Florida. My family moved out of state until 2014 when we returned to Florida. I graduated from Gulf High School in New Port Richey and I am currently attending St. Petersburg College working toward obtaining my Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. When I finish that, I plan to transfer to UCF to complete my Bachelor’s Degree. I previously worked in multiple customer service positions, but I gained my experience working with children through volunteer opportunities at Church nurseries and summer camps. I also spent time as a nanny for 2 young children for 4 years. In September of 2019, I joined the Children’s Journey Preschool team and I am thrilled to be here. I love to watch children grow and discover new things. I hope that the children in my care are set up for success by the love, support, and encouragement I provide them on a daily basis. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and my cat, Mei. I also enjoy swimming and working out. I look forward to getting to know your family and your child. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of their development.

Hello my name is Rebecca Parry! I was born and raised in Florida, and recently graduated from Lake Howell Highschool in 2019! At Lake Howell, i worked in their Little Hawks classroom for 3 years with children ages 3-5! I also have spent a lot of time caring for my 1 year old niece! I love working with children because you create lasting positive effects in each others lives. My favorite part of working in this environment is being able to create individual bonds with every child! Outside of work i enjoy writing and spending time with family! I look forward to getting to know your family and child! Thank you for letting me be apart of their education!

Hello, My name is Gabriela Velez. I was born in Syracuse, New York and moved to Florida when i was 2 years old! I'm currently a senior in high school and I am working towards my CDA in my Childhood Education Program! I have had the chance to work with kids in many ways through Little Hawks, Aloma Kids academy and VBS events! I joined the CJP team in 2020 and I'm so excited to build relationships with every child here! I think discovery through play and STEAM builds a strong foundation for learning! Outside of work I enjoy doing makeup, spending time with friends, and riding bikes! I look forward to getting to know your family and child!