Sharde is an eclectic craft artist that has enjoyed making a variety of handmade objects since 2017. She also has a BA in criminal justice with an emphasis in sociology. She is certified as a personal care aide and passionate about advocating for inclusivity, especially in consideration of communities with neurodiversity and intellectual disabilities. Combining her enthusiasm for art, ethics, and problem-solving, Sharde loves working with children and helping them develop a well-rounded understanding of themselves and an open-minded appreciation of the world around them.

Kristy is mom to four bright and inquisitive minds. She holds a BA in Environmental Education from the College of the Environment at Western Washington University. She has nearly 30 years of experience in the fields of wilderness education, outdoor education, experiential education, and environmental education. She has taught at all levels, from pre-K to undergraduate students. She has taught students from many different walks of life in all sorts of settings, from the wilderness of the North Cascades in Washington State to the urban wilds of public school in Washington DC. She enjoys a long list of hobbies and interests, but is most simply characterized by her deep connection to the natural world and endless fascination with human complexity.

Melanie Ells is a homeschool parent of two, with an adult bonus kid. She was a preschool teacher for many years. She loves nature and art, has been a leader in 4-H and La Leche League, and enjoys gardening and cooking. She immigrated from Canada for love, and enjoys traveling throughout the USA and Canada. She enjoys helping out and being a part of the homeschool community.

Ashley is Mom to four kids ages 6-14 and enjoys living and homeschooling in NoVA. She graduated from Butler University with a double major in elementary education and dance performance. She has taught grades K-8 and is passionate about the arts in schools, specifically the use of movement to enforce learning and exploration for children. Ashley loves being outside and having her children in the best classroom of all, the outdoors! She looks forward to continuing to learn alongside the children of NovaScoop!

Rebecca H. McCormick is an independent history education writer and editor in Northern Virginia. She has a BA in History and a minor in Art History from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas and an MA in History of Decorative Arts with a focus on textiles from the George Mason University-Smithsonian Associates joint program in Washington, DC. She worked in nonprofit management for many years and is now excited to focus on education and teaching. Rebecca especially enjoys looking past school subjects to explore topics in a multidisciplinary way.

Cullen is a veteran of the Army, and has spent eighteen years working for the federal government. He has published work in both fiction and non-fiction. He graduated from Virginia Military Institute with a BA in History and earned his Masters in Strategic Intelligence from NIU.

Grant is a Modern Western Square Dance caller in Northern Virginia, qualified to guide dancers through the Plus level program. He holds active memberships in the Virginia State Callers Association (VASCA), Shenandoah Valley Callers' Council (SVCC), National Capital Area Square Dance Leaders Association (NCASDLA), and the International Association of Square Dance Callers (CALLERLAB). He's fully licensed with BMI and ASCAP, ensuring every dance is filled with the perfect tunes to keep the energy alive. Grant's love for square dancing began at 14 years old, when he dove into the world of Basic, Mainstream, and Plus alongside his homeschool friends. It was a time of laughter, camaraderie, and those magical "aha" moments that turned steps into memories. The true spark came the following year at the WASCA Spring Festival where Grant first discovered the excitement of dancing to international callers. For three exhilarating days, from dawn till midnight, he immersed himself in ballrooms buzzing with hundreds of dancers of all ages. Watching faces light up with pure joy, feeling the electric connection as calls wove people together, Grant felt a profound pull: he wanted to be the one creating those smiles, fostering bonds that last a lifetime. Grant brings that same spark and energy to every event he calls. From club nights and regional festivals to private parties and beginner lessons, Grant delivers an experience that keeps dancers smiling -- and talking about it-- long after the last song.

Jeneen Piccuirro is a mom (always first!), visual artist, dancer, yogi, sound healer, meditation guide, a lifelong student of all things creative & sacred and above all else: a teacher. Jeneen is passionate about teaching authentic skills while encouraging joyful connection to the heart of creativity, no matter what the modality! She holds an MFA in Painting from AU, a BA in Art from Swarthmore College and many additional certificates/trainings in yoga, dance, energy work, art, meditation and more. Her visual art, like her life, is interdisciplinary and integrative and currently encompasses painting, printmaking, installation and fiber arts and is inspired by Nature. She has literally taught ALL ages from pre-school on up and has been both a visiting artist and adjunct art faculty at American University, Georgetown University, University of MD, Swarthmore College, Dartmouth College and Washington Studio School and has exhibited her work widely at galleries both locally and internationally. She currently is the lead Teaching Artist at the Kreeger Museum, a Performance Artist with Young Audiences of Virginia, Art Integration Specialist with the Village School and leads innovative large scale public programs that include sound healing, meditation, movement and art. A sampling of recent venues she has led events at include: The Phillips Collection, Dupont Underground, Art all Night, National Building Museum, Cherry Blossom Festival, Air & Space Museum, The Torpedo Factory, Life With Cancer and Yogaville. She also leads immersive inter-disciplinary art, yoga, meditation, dance & sound healing workshops/retreats locally and abroad. She is the founder of The Luna Girls, Art-trekking, Yoga.Here.Now, Sound Healing Sangha, Girls with Gongs and Studio in the Woods.

David Przybysz is a home educator and artist in Centreville, Virginia. He is a Virginia Master Naturalist. At Scoop he has taught such classes as Your Watershed & YOU, What is LIFE?, Intro to Studio Art for teens, Heroic Kids tabletop role playing games, Picture Book Workshop, Build Your Own Boardgames, Junior Electrical Engineering, and Flex Lab Plus! David has two homeschooling children: a high schooler and elementary schooler. They all enjoy board games, video games, drawing, nature walks, and roller skating.

Laura is an occupational therapist who has worked in a wide variety of settings with both children and adults. She graduated with her degree in occupational therapy from the Jefferson College of Health Sciences. After working in public schools, with students with a variety of struggles, she decided to homeschool her own 3 children. Laura is passionate about working with youth in a developmentally appropriate way, and finding ways for every child to be engaged and challenged in a way that leads them to feeling successful. She writes the curriculum and blogs at Five Senses Literature Lessons. She loves hands on learning with her classes, scout troop, and her own kids. Beyond that her passions include crochet, reading and avoiding housework.