Teachers at Young Musicians of Virginia must have degrees in their area of application or have adequate experience and be able to demonstrate a level of excellence in that area.  Several have Masters and PhD’s.  Check out our awesome academic teachers below:

• Marlene Berkley
(Spanish I, II, II and French I, II)
B.A. in French from UNC Chapel Hill and continuing education at Old Dominion University.
M.A. ESL, English and B.A. in Spanish from Old Dominion University
Marlene Berkley has taught English as a second language to students of all age groups and countries, including two years teaching in Japan and one year as a volunteer High School English teacher in Israel. She has lived and worked in French-speaking Switzerland for many years and first studied Spanish at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland when she worked in the Latin American Department of the International Organization for Migration. She has studied intensive Spanish in one month courses in Spain and Mexico. She is pleased to be teaching at YMV and enjoys the Christian environment.

•April Bullard
(American Literature, U.S. Government)
A.A. Biology and Chemistry, San Diego Community College, B.A. Religious Studies, San Diego State University, M.A. Education, National University.
Mrs. Bullard has taught in children’s ministry since 2010. She was a preschool teacher for 3 years in Hawaii, but has been homeschooling her 3 children since moving to Virginia in July of 2020. She is an Air Force veteran and her husband currently serves in the Navy. Her family participates in local and overseas missions through their church. She enjoys philosophy, gardening, camping, and hiking. She and her family hope to use their North Carolina mountain property as a home base for family backpacking trips.

• Carrie Donley
(American Literature)
B.A. American Studies, Mary Washington College, M.A. Urban Planning, Old Dominion University.
Mrs. Donley has three children and has homeschooled for ten years. She has always enjoyed each stage of life, participating in her church’s AWANA program for nine years, being Director of Creation Explorer’s co-op for two years and working in various roles with the YMV staff for almost ten years. Two of her three children have graduated high school and are furthering their studies at Liberty University and Bob Jones University. She enjoys hiking, the outdoors, reading, writing, and music.

• Veronica Dowdell
(General Science, Physical Science)
B.S. in Science Education, East Carolina University
Roni Dowdell has been a part of YMV for nearly 20 years, first as a homeschool parent, then a hall monitor and office staff worker and finally a teacher. Prior to YMV, she taught at Tidewater Classical Academy teaching General Science and Worldview Humanities for 5 years. She has also taught high school science (Chemistry, Biology, Physical Science, Life Science and Earth Science) overseas at Naples International School. A mother of four grown children, she enjoys cooking, sewing and Bible study.

• Trevor Hodges
(American History, High School Writing, and British Literature)
A.S. Social Sciences, Tidewater Community College; B.A. Biblical and Theological Studies, Regent University; M.Div. New Testament, Regent University (graduating December 2023)
Trevor Hodges is a passionate graduate student pursuing a calling in ministry and academics. Trevor currently attends Regent University, pursuing a Master of Divinity with a concentration in the New Testament. He also studies Biblical Languages through Liberty University’s online programs. Additionally, Trevor continues to work in Regent University’s library, where he has the privilege of teaching students of all education levels how to improve their research and writing skills. Trevor has a heart for learning and teaching as he continues his graduate-level coursework and his job teaching college students. He credits God, his homeschooling background, and his parents for his academic achievements. He is thrilled to teach in a school that allows teachers to share and implement the Gospel in their classes. 

• Colleen Ignacio
(Middle School History)
A. A. General Studies, Palomar College; B.S. Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University; B.S. Nursing, Norfolk State University; M.S. Nursing Education, South University
Colleen Ignacio is a Navy and Marine Corps Veteran, a Registered Nurse Educator, and homeschooling mother of 9 years to her beloved daughter, Ericka Ignacio. She has been blissfully married to her husband, Erick Ignacio, for 22 years. She is grateful for the opportunity to partner with parents and see their students light up when they grasp new concepts!

• Nickie McCreary
(Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, PreCalculus)
B.A. Math, College of William and Mary, M.A. Education, Regent University
Nickie is a homeschooling mom to two boys. She started out as a high school math teacher with Chesapeake Public Schools and taught several semesters of math at Tidewater Community College. In recent years, she has helped manage a local homeschool co-op of about one hundred students. When she is not crunching numbers, she can usually be found making a quilt or sitting in the sun at the beach.

• Christi Monti
(Middle School Writing, Latin, Logic)
B.M., Cleveland Institute of Music
Mrs. Monti is a homeschooling mom to four children; previously, she was a professional orchestra French horn player in and around Cleveland, OH. Since moving to Virginia Beach and having children, her passion (in addition to loving and serving Jesus) has been classical education and redeeming her own education. After receiving certification, she has taught English grammar and writing within the Classical Conversations program, in her own homeschool, and through private tutoring since 2014. In 2016, she began learning Latin with her oldest son, and she has taught and studied Latin (Henle 1) since 2017 within the context of the Classical Conversations Challenge Program (Levels A and B). Additionally, during the summers, she offers the Memoria Press Form Series to homeschoolers both locally and online. Mrs. Monti loves helping students learn and find joy in learning, as well as hiking in the mountains, traveling, baking, landscape designing, and painting in her spare time.

• Mrs. Courtney Rollick, LMT
(Chemistry, Physics)
Mrs. Rollick is a mom to a toddler and two cats and is a life-long learner. She has two consistent passions – teaching and science. She currently employs both as a holistic health practitioner. She’s excited to combine those two passions and share that excitement with her students as they learn about our Creator through His creation.

• Mrs. Yetta Roy
(Biology, Advanced Biology)
B.S. Nursing, St. Olaf College
Mrs. Roy is a skilled nurse and Air Force Veteran. She loves serving the Lord and is married to a USMC Marine.

• Mrs. Dee Williams
(Math Skills; Pre-Algebra; Personal Finance; Elementary Science)
Mrs. Williams and her husband, Robert, have been married over 32 years and have three home-schooled children who love music and attended YMV. Their family has been part of YMV for over 17 years.