Allison DeMarco

• Junior at Iona College
• Speech Pathology and Audiology Major
• "I work at Gemm Learning because I want to have an impact on children's lives and provide Westchester reading help to make them successful. I use sticker charts and Progress Tracker to show my students their progress.  I have seen now over and over again how much this program can help my kids do better in school."
• "As an alternative to New York and Connecticut tutoring, I am proud of the opportunity we are providing for struggling readers around here."

Nicole Remenyi

• I recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Manhattan College with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a concentration in Mathematics.  I will receive my Masters in Special Education from Manhattan College this upcoming May. 
• I hope to one day complete my Educational Doctorate in the field of Intellectual Disability/Autism and Childhood Education.    In the fall, I will begin teaching in a self-contained special education classroom at Prospect Hill Elementary in Pelham, New York. 
• In previous years, I have had experience teaching in both the New York City and Yonkers public school systems.  While working in both these systems, I have gained experience teaching ESL students as well as students with special needs.

Kristin McGrail

• I completed my Bachelor of Arts at Manhattan College, graduating Cum Laude with a degree in Secondary Education and concentration in History.  I received my NY State teaching certification for grades 7-12.  My student teaching experiences were at Yonkers High School and Eastchester Middle School.   
• Even though I am a teacher, I want to constantly learn from both my students and from classes I will take to attain a Masters and Doctorate degree in Education. 
• What drives me is my passion for teaching and my personal philosophy that every student can learn.  I bring with me an energy and enthusiasm that will make the learning experience exciting and interesting for students!

Angelika Wilk

• Sophomore at Iona College
• Psychology Major
• "I am a Gemm Learning coach because I love helping students and working with children. It is so exciting to see how happy my students get when they see results and attain high scores in their exercises."
• "I love building a relationship with the students. I feel like they really look up to me and as a Gemm Learning coach, I have the power to create a positive experience that will turn the child on to school."

Joan Paciello

• Junior at Iona College
• Secondary Education Major/English Minor
• "I work for Gemm Learning because the program they offer related to what I am studying in school."
• "I love being a coach because it is fun to motivate the kids. As I coach, I see first hand how the program makes improvements over time. It is nice to make a difference in their lives, especially in the fun, unique way that Gemm Learning provides."
• "One of the students I work with recently got VERY excited about learning how to spell Westchester -- that's what we used to called. He ran down the stairs and excitedly told his mother he knew how to spell a 'very big word'.  I loved it!"

Rosemarie Feichtl

• Senior at Fordham University
• Clinical Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience Major
• "I love cognitive neuroscience and the concept of neuroplasticity fascinates me. Working at Gemm Learning I get to witness this phenomena everyday with the greatest people anyone could work with- my kids!!!"
• "The kids are great! I could be having a really stressful day and the kids I coach just make me smile. From the really shy to the really talkative, being there with the kids while they are doing the program is as rewarding for me to witness as it is for them to accomplish."
• "Watching a particular student's learning skills sky rocket from developmentally delayed to significantly above average is my favorite experience. She has become much more confident in herself and socially outgoing. She has a much brighter outlook on her life today and exceptional goals she wishes to attain in her future."

Natasha King

• Sophomore at Iona College
• Social Work Major
• "What I like most about being a Gemm Learning coach is seeing the impact that this program has had on the children that have taken it. They walk into the center feeling as though they have a learning disability they will never be able to overcome, but by the time they finish the program, they have gained the confidence necessary to achieve in school."
• "I have a lot of inspirational stories about children at Gemm Learning, but one sticks out in particular. I used to have a little boy that would come in to the center. He was very quiet, he wouldn't smile, and would often get frustrated when he did not catch on to something as fast as he would like to. As the first month went on, I noticed that he began to smile, joke around and even talk to me about his school work and how he was doing better on his tests. It was a complete transformation. He was a happier, more productive, confident child because of the program. Before he completed his program, the mother thanked me and explained how grateful she was for all we had done. She told me how he became a better student, how his grades were remarkable, and even how he became more social and felt comfortable talking to other children his age. Watching him go through the program and hearing his mother's gratitude made me feel like I really made a difference in his life."
• "I was thrilled to also discover that watching children doing Fast ForWord every day has actually helped me be a better student! I notice I can follow lectures without drifting off. And I am able to sit down and blow through my study work without a break. I never could have done that before working at Gemm Learning.