Academic Community
Enrichment

I come from a wonderful family of teachers (mostly math), and began helping my mother teach the younger classes when I was still in school. I grew up in London, with five brothers and sisters, and I have a degree in Human Sciences from Oxford University. After fifteen years in professional theater, I moved to the United States in 1990 when I married my husband, who is a musician and entertainer from Louisiana. While he performs in local venues, I now sing mainly at Ascension Catholic Church, where I belong to the choir and am one of the cantors.
Before moving to the Space Coast, I taught a variety of subjects (including drama, geography, biology, American history, and French) to middle and high school students at a private school in Miami. My specialities are English - reading, writing and language - and middle school math. I love these subjects and thoroughly enjoy helping students of all ages to understand and become more skilled in these areas. I am honored to be part of the wonderful, caring team of instructors and administrators at ACE!

Jennifer has a BS in Biology from Harding University and PhD in Biology with an emphasis in Microbiology from University of Arkansas. She completed her postdoctoral research at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. During her years as a graduate student, she taught as a graduate teaching assistant at University of Arkansas Fayetteville. In addition, she served as adjunct faculty for several semesters, then as a visiting instructor for three semesters at University of Arkansas Fort Smith. Her experience working with elementary-aged kids comes from teaching at Sylvan Learning Center, where she was trained in all the subjects they offered, including reading, math, time management, test preparation, and more. She also founded and ran a youth group for preschool through high school at her childhood church in Barling, Arkansas. Her family has used the Five in a Row curriculum at home for 6 years now. Her children, now ages 11 and 9, love it and have gained so much from the stories and activities. She is excited to share it with the students at ACE!

As the oldest child of seven, I have been teaching in some manner basically my whole life. It seemed very natural for me to enter the teaching field especially after receiving national and state teaching scholarships. I met my wonderful husband, Marty at a Baptist Campus Ministry meeting at UCF, and we will be celebrating our 29th anniversary in August. After college, I taught in public schools for over ten years before becoming blessed with our two children, Jonathan and Katie. Although having been a veteran in the teaching field, it was definitely a bit overwhelming at first at the thoughts of homeschooling our own children. I am so glad that God led us in this direction as this has been my most rewarding role as “teacher” as I have learned far more about teaching than in any college course or any amount of time as a classroom instructor. We have been homeschooling for over thirteen years now and look forward to many more. I am so honored to be an instructor at ACE and to be able to partner with you in your child’s learning journey. It brings me such joy each week to see your child’s smiling face as we grow and learn together that math is all around us and can be exciting and fun.

Hi, my name is Linda Copeland, Christian, wife, mom, nana and elementary teacher by profession. Currently, I am retired and substituting in the north area schools of Brevard County after 36 years of teaching. I love working with the students and teaching the nature of science and how it is used in our world. God has given us all that we need to live and work in a beautiful world. It is imperative that the students learn to value its beauty, how it works, and their roles in keeping it safe for themselves and generations to come. I am looking forward to working and learning with your children as we explore through hands on activities both in class and home.

With an MA in English and Creative Writing, Amy Covel is a published writer who writes about old-fashioned ideals using a modern style. Being Lead Learning Specialist at Eastern Florida State College has enabled Amy to tutor student writers and grow as a writer herself. Throughout 2018-2022, she has been published in Mythos & Ink Publishing’s Area of Effect: Wisdom from Geek Culture Vol. 1, Splash of the Titans, The Penmen Review, and The Titan Promethean. Though not as often as desired, Amy writes fantasy novels and cries over fictional tragedies.

It’s exciting to get the opportunity to teach at the program where my love of musical theatre began. I was extremely shy as a kid and musical theatre completely changed my life. It brought me out of my shell, taught me so many life lessons, and became my favorite thing in the world. I was 6 years old in my first musical at ACE and was in every ACE production until I walked the stage at graduation. I also performed in community theatre productions, studied film/TV acting at Prodigy Talent Training, vocally trained with ACE’s Sheri Mercurio, had an acting coach, and went to workshops in NYC, Atlanta, St. Louis, and Orlando. After graduation, I went to study musical theatre from top industry professionals at the American Musical & Dramatic Academy in New York City. Covid interrupted my studies and due to the current mandates there, I am taking time off. While I pray sanity is restored in the world soon, I am excited to teach for a second year at ACE in the meantime! I have also taught music at Mindworks Early Learning Center, musical theatre and hip hop at The Viera Children’s Academy, dance lessons at PTT, and been assistant director and choreographer for the middle/high school productions at ACE.

Hello! My name is Sharise Deimeke, I am one of the directors of ACE!! I also teach middle school and high school drama. Although I have a Bachelors of Science in Nursing, I have spent many years enjoying theatre and have a passion for it. For most of my life, I have enjoyed studying dance, musical theater, and drama. I am honored to pass along my love for the arts to the ACE community. I am married to my high school sweetheart, and we have 4 children, 3 of which have graduated from ACE. Our youngest is a senior this year. We have loved educating our children and watching them grow into the people God designed them to be. I am an entrepreneur, owning my own business which has allowed me to own my time and has given me the freedom to serve at ACE and volunteer abroad. I enjoy the life lessons that come from participating in theatre and the teamwork required to put on a production. Watching students gain the confidence to step into their gifts and talents is so rewarding. I consider it an absolute privilege to work with these students and pray I am able to give them lifelong memories through the work and the fun that comes by participating in theatre.

April has been an Artistic Gymnastics/Acrobatics Instructor at Titusville Ballet & Jazz Center for sixteen years. Because of her mother’s influence in Drama, April developed an early love for the Arts which she incorporated into many of her gymnastics activities. Through Performing Arts while in high school, April participated in music, dance, and gymnastics programs, where she received the opportunity to work at Disney in her teens for two years. As an Instructor, April loves to combine gymnastics with theatrics. She has trained multiple teachers and designed costumes and props for the Acrobatic Program created by her sister and her. Not only was she in charge of the Gymnastics Program at TBJC, but she was in charge of the school’s Christmas Parade for two years. April has hosted fundraisers, Mother’s Day tea parties, and planned successful field trips, including Cirque du Soliel performances and touring backstage at the famous Cirque stage in Disney Springs. Currently, April is trying her hand as a new author and has written two books on Amazon. She loves working with children and gets excited when her students accomplish a skill, no matter what it is.

Melinda Efta is an enthusiastic music instructor with several years of classroom management experience. She has extensive knowledge of music theory, conducting and vocal technique. Melinda is committed to student growth, as well as quality ensemble sound. Her creative approach to lesson plans and student engagement is sure bring out the best in even the most reluctant student. She also has experience in classical, jazz, musical theatre, and pop performance. Her experience also includes teaching special needs students (neurodivergent individuals).

Grecia Fenton has been serving Brevard County for 27 years as a teacher not only in her long standing ballet company, but in several area tutoring positons (math and science), a private Christian school (math, science and drama), and Sunday school. She studied classical ballet in New York and directed and choreographed for many high school theatre programs both in New York and Florida. In college she began as a pre-med student and later changed to a double major in psychology and biology graduating with a degree in Developmental Psychobiology. Mrs. Fenton and her ballet company travel throughout Brevard County presenting classical and children’s’ ballets in area libraries, retirement homes, and community events. She is the proud Mom of 50 parrots, a marmoset monkey, rabbit, chinchilla, 2 dogs and 2 cats who also perform with the ballet company. She is married to her wonderful husband Bill and they enjoy camping together. Mrs. Fenton believes each student has unlimited potential in God’s purpose for their life and brings that philosophy into the classroom encouraging and motivating her students to want to learn and achieve the highest goal possible within the gifts they have been given. It is her desire to shape and enrich the lives of her students not only academically but spiritually as well so they will better understand and serve the world they will impact.

Performer, Director, Producer, Author.

Areas of specialization: Voice, Acting, Festival Management, Social Media, Entrepreneurship, Overcoming Stage-fright.

Michael's twenty-year career in the arts spans a wide and diverse array of experiences. He began as a musical theatre performer in his late teens before attending Liberty University for a general degree in music. He subsequently attended Florida State University and the University of Illinois where he studied with leading baritone, Nathan Gunn. An Actor's Equity Member, Michael has performed many roles including Tony in West Side Story, The Baker in Into The Woods, Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, Sid in Albert Herring, the title role in Don Giovanni and Gaston in Beauty and the Beast with the Walt Disney Company. He has written and produced a successful one man show called 'Heroes and Villains' which he tours. Michael has appeared as a singer and actor for many commercials, recorded projects and concerts, most notably with the Nashville Chamber Singers and as the baritone soloist for Michael Dougherty's Letters From Lincoln.

Michael has taught voice and directed theatre productions for several colleges including Rollins College, Stetson University, Seminole State College and the University of Illinois to name a few. His directing credits include shows such as The Light In The Piazza, Sondheim's Company, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Magic Flute, Gianni Schicchi and Berlioz's Beatrice et Benedict. Michael also founded the Program for Lyric Theatre in Italy, a summer language immersion program for singers which teaches students the skills of marketing, business, and performance techniques. His acting students have landed national TV and film jobs while many of his classical voice students have found international success.

Why are you partnering with ACE? Describe your vision for the arts program:

Last spring, I was working as a music program director for a well-known university when I felt like God was asking me not to continue in that role. He told me that

He was going to bring something else along. Upon talking to Judy and Sharise, I began to feel like this must be the opportunity He was speaking about.
I admire the work that the past choir director did and hope to make the classes this fall just as fun and interesting. I also hope to grow the program to include more quality-filled opportunities to help students to grow as musicians, singers, and performers. During the fall, I’d love to talk with students and parents alike to see how the choir classes can be an exciting environment that every student at ACE wants to be a part of.

Liz Hyers has been teaching band classes for over 20 years, first in Northern Virginia and for the past 15 years in Florida. She has taught homeschool and community bands, and also taught band for 5 years at St Teresa’s in Titusville. Liz homeschooled her 7 children (her youngest is a dual enrolled high school senior). She has a BS in Business Admin and currently owns BTB Security Services, a company specializing in event security.