Tamara Nedell has been an English and Language Arts teacher in Washington state for almost 20 years. This is her first year as a member of the staff at The Robinson Center Summer Program and she can’t wait to begin! Tamara is a National Board-Certified Teacher in English and Language Arts for Early Adolescence and Young Adulthood. She connects her students with published Seattle authors through“Writers in the Schools” a Seattle Arts and Lectures initiative where professional writers engage students to create their own stories and find their voice. Her professional development includes studying at The Smithsonian in their “Teaching Humanities through Art” summer program. Her students enjoy interpreting and analyzing art as companion activities to reading. By participating in “The College Board Summer Institute for Advanced Placement” training, Tamara learned strategies to challenge her students to reach higher academic levels. Tamara’s commitment to teaching has been recognized through the Symetra “Hero in the Classroom” honor and her district nomination for a “Gold Star” award. She was truly touched last year when her students voted her “most inspiring teacher” and having the “best teacher voice.” When Tamara is not teaching, she likes to spend time with her family, especially her two college-aged daughters, one of whom loved her summer experiences at The Robinson Center.