“I have been working for the YMCA for almost 18 years. I like to teach the kids. I want them to love school, to have fun and learn through having fun. I like to teach them through games, song and dance and make sure they’re comfortable, that they feel respected. I also like to see the progress they’ve made at the end of the year, to see what they’ve accomplished. I like everything about working at the Y. It’s a very homey work environment where I feel welcome and comfortable. I’m originally from Russia and I moved here in 1993. I was a first-grade teacher there and came to New Jersey to visit a cousin. But I met my husband, we got married and now have four boys.”