Mrs. Menefee taught pre-school in Owings Mills, Maryland where she instituted a foreign language program for more than fifty children and middle school Spanish for the Baltimore County Public School system where she headed the Foreign Language Team. Mrs. Menefee has tutored public and private school students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade and taught after-school Spanish classes for elementary school children. She has volunteered at The Parents’ Choice Foundation, the nation’s oldest not-for-profit evaluator of children's books, videos, toys, audios, computer software, television, and magazines.
Mrs. Menefee is an active member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the Mid-Atlantic Association for the Education of Young Children, the Maryland Association for the Education of Young Children, and the Central Maryland Association for the Education of Young Children.
Mrs. Menefee lives with her husband, Ashton, and their three children in Towson, Maryland.
Contributing Authors/Researchers
Cristina Cenciarelli earned a pH.D. in Biology from the University of Rome, Italy. She came to the United States in 1989 for a post-doctorate fellowship and worked as a scientist at the National Institute for Health for several years. After leaving her job to raise a family, Ms. Cenciarelli began tutoring children and adults in Italian. She and her family return to Italy every summer.
Patty Darby has been teaching preschool and elementary school for 15 years. She has a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and a Masters of Education in Reading. She has worked in Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia and McDonogh School in Baltimore, Maryland where she developed curriculum for their reading programs. Patty was an adjunct professor for the University of Virginia teaching Masters level courses in Reading. She is currently a preschool teacher in Baltimore and enjoys spending time with her family, running, and reading.
Sara Proctor is a 2005 Cum Laude graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art with BFA in General Fine Art. While enrolled, Proctor was awarded the Academic Excellence Scholarship, the MICA Achievement Award and a MICA Trustees Award. Her work has been featured in over 25 group exhibitions and 3 solo shows. Upon graduation she worked as a Paraeducator during '05-'06 school year in a BCPSS Kindergarten classroom at the Empowerment Academy in West Baltimore. She developed a curriculum called "Folktales Around the World" while teaching Art at the Empowerment Academy the following summer. Proctor is currently the Events Director at Annapolis Roads Apartments and Lake Heron Condominiums in Annapolis, MD.
Judy Turnbaugh has been teaching Physical Education at the Friends School of Baltimore for 18 years. She is coach of Varsity Field Hockey Team, Middle School Basketball Team, and Junior Varsity Lacrosse Team. Ms. Turnbaugh has a B.S. from University of Maryland, and a Masters of Education from Towson State University. She played field hockey and lacrosse at University of Maryland. She was named an All-American in Lacrosse in 1987 and won the National Lacrosse Championship in 1986.
Freya Zellerhoff earned her Master’s Degree in Teaching German (“Staatsexamen”) from the Humboldt University Berlin, Germany. She has a specialization the Education of the Deaf Child. Mrs. Zellerhoff is co-author of “The Giant Encyclopedia of Monthly Activities” (Gryphon House 2006).
