HEAD OF SCHOOL, CO-FOUNDER

Having had professional roles in the telecommunications and healthcare industries, Melissa brings diverse experience to Solvit. After spending some time at home with her and Dave's daughters, Avelina and Estelle, Melissa turned a lifelong passion into the next phase of her career and launched her own home-organizing business. This entrepreneurial endeavor allowed Melissa to hone her project management, client relations, and communication skills. Melissa's education includes a degree in Business Administration from The Smeal College of Business at Penn State University.

CO-FOUNDER

Dave has been the President of Webstaurantstore.com, the e-commerce division of Clark Associates, since its launch in the summer of 2004. He has led the company through its rapid growth from a four-person startup to an enterprise with over 2,500 employees throughout the country. Now generating over 1 billion in revenue annually, Dave attributes the growth of the company to its emphasis on culture and people. He is excited to bring these ideas and the many lessons learned through his experience to Solvit. Dave graduated from The Smeal College of Business Administration and the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University.

GUIDE

Melissa comes to Solvit Academy with a passion and desire to see children learn, grow, and become a difference maker in the world around them. It is her goal to help children find academic success and, even more importantly, serve as an encourager and guiding light as children begin to embark on their own “Hero’s Journey”. Melissa graduated from Millersville University in 2009 with a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education (K-6) and an Early Childhood Certification. Melissa lives in Mount Joy with her husband, Ryan, and their daughter, Cella.

GUIDE

Lexi is joining Solvit Academy with an excitement and passion for guiding and supporting young learners as they embark on a Hero’s Journey. She believes that supporting a learner’s natural inquiry and providing opportunities for authentic learning experiences are essential to celebrating each individual child’s learning and growth. Lexi graduated from Millersville University in 2017 with a B.S. Degree in Early Childhood Education as well as an Integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Education Methods Endorsement.

GUIDE

Steph brings Solvit Academy an unwavering love for learning and an abiding passion for the arts. Her commitment lies in ensuring that every learner feels deeply engaged, invested in, and truly heard, for she firmly believes that every child can change the world. Steph earned her Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2013 with a focus in voice and experience in piano. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, calligraphy and spending time outdoors hiking or gardening.

PE GUIDE

Julie believes that the most important part of any PE program is for it to be fun! Her goal is to equip and inspire Voyagers so that they learn about teamwork, sportsmanship, and the importance of leading an active, healthy lifestyle. Julie really gets into the holidays, so you will find many of her activities to be seasonally themed and accompanied to music. It’s this infusion of fun that led to her being named a Lancaster-Lebanon PE Teacher of the Year. In her spare time, you can find Julie riding her bike on rail to trails or spending time with her grandchildren.