Rachel Demalderis

English Teacher

rdemalderis@metropolitanels.com

Rachel was born in New Jersey and raised in the Pocono region of Northeastern Pennsylvania, where she developed a love of nature, hiking, running, and yoga. Though rooted in her rural upbringing, she was curious to explore the culture and arts that could only be offered by big cities. She attended college at Boston University where she majored in Art History culminating in a semester studying abroad in Florence, Italy. Upon graduating, Rachel moved to New York City where she put her degree to work. She started working in the world of high-end auctions for three years before deciding to pursue a career that would allow her to channel her love of working with children and teaching others. Rachel joined Teach for America in 2014 and spent two years teaching middle school special education in Queens while also pursuing her Master’s degree from Hunter College. As an educator, she is passionate about cultivating a joy for learning and empowering students to have a voice in their communities, and is excited to continue this work as part of the MELS team. When she isn’t in the classroom, Rachel enjoys traveling, cooking (and eating!), hiking, yoga, and spending time with family and friends.