Greetings! Here you will find a little bit about myself:
My name is Nancy Bellai. I was born and raised in Basking Ridge, New Jersey (Go Devils!) and spend a few years exploring the "Wild & Wonderful" West Virginia. At West Virginia University, I studied sculpture and explored other mediums of fine art. I enjoy creating with metal and plaster, and painting the most! While I was in West Virginia, I rescued two mutts, Lyla and Bear. I then started my own dog walking and boarding business and brought Lyla and Bear home to New Jersey. Lyla and Bear now have two rescue brothers, Fionn and Otis - and a cat named Snowy! To say that I am obsessed with animals (mostly canines) would be an understatement.
I began working with children and the arts during my sophomore year of high school, taking on the role as assistant art teacher for the after-school program at our local YMCA. My senior of high school, I had been placed with the elementary art teacher for an Internship. From then on - I knew I had a passion and gift for teaching young children. In West Virginia, I volunteered at the Bartlett house, a shelter for struggling families. I started off working in the kitchen but soon found myself helping the children who stayed at the shelter with their homework and occupying them after school. This was both an eye-opening and testing experience. Here - my goal was to let the children be children. We focused on how we can better ourselves both in and out of the classroom and how we can use the resources we have to be creative! I will continue to carry this practice beyond my past experiences and into the future.
I am currently a student at Raritan Valley Community College where I am continuing my practice to become the best teacher I can be!