STAFF

Ayodele Mellor | Program Director & Founder

Ayodele Mellor is originally from Oxford, North Carolina and has been teaching Spanish in the Wilmington area since 2003. She attended Universidad Tec de Monterrey, Campus Cuernavaca in Morelia, Mexico and in 1999 was accepted into the NC Teaching fellows elite teacher prep program at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro. There, she earned a Bachelors Degree in Spanish along with her K-12 teaching license. In 2008 she earned a NC Early Childhood Credential to work with preschool-aged children and in 2023 earned her level 2 Administrator’s Credential from NC Division of Child Development.

She served as department chair of Spanish 1 and also taught Spanish 2 at Laney High School from 2003 – 2006. After the birth of her son, she began working exclusively with preschool aged children. She founded the popular Best Amigos Preschool Spanish Program, which educated over 400 children since 2007. She is passionate about language immersion programs & enjoys immersion curriculum development and creating unique learning experiences.

She resides in Wilmington with her husband and five children, ages 8-17, and in her rare free time enjoys riding her Elliptigo bike, reading about historic America and traveling.

Toddler Lead Teacher

Maestra Willvelys is originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico. She was a dedicated staff member of Forest Hills Elementary School since November of 2014. She began taking Early Childhood Classes at Brunswick Community College and started working with Wilmington Bilingual Preschool in the summer of 2021. She has two teenage children and her patient, sweet demeanor makes her perfect for working with our 1 & 2 year old students.

Young Pre-K Lead Teacher

Maestra Betina is originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has a bachelor degree in law and journalism studies from the Catholic University of Buenos Ares.

Betina loves languages and enjoys teaching them. Her native language is Spanish but she also speaks fluent French and English. She enjoys sharing knowledge with children, especially with her nieces and with her son who is bilingual and graduated from Wilmington Bilingual Preschool. She has been a part of our school since 2021, first as a volunteer, then as an assistant and in summer of 2023 as substitute lead teacher of Pre-K 1. Betina believes that bilingual education can only benefit a child’s development and she is excited about being a part of our team!

Older Young Pre-K Lead Teacher

Mary C. is originally from Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. She grew up an only child but completed her volunteer requirements working with children at a daycare. She studied Business Administration but always wanted to be a teacher. She is a valued team member since 2023 and the students love her cheerful, positive demeanor. In her free time she enjoys reading and listening to podcasts. !

Pre-K 1 Lead Teacher

Maestra Gaby is originally from Honduras where she studied education and worked as a teacher. She is patient, creative and energetic and loves teaching our 3-4 year old students since the summer of 2022. She currently resides in Wilmington and has two children ages 7 and 11.

PK2 Lead Teacher

Maestra Viviana is originally from Colombia, South America where she studied preschool education and graduated from the University de San Buenaventura in Cali, Colombia in 2009. In Spring of 2022 she earned her NC Early Childhood Credential from Haywood Community College. She currently resides in Wilmington with her husband and two sons. She has a passion for her profession and brings much patience and experience to the classroom. We are excited to work with her at our full time school!

Advanced PK2/Kindergarten Lead Teacher

Maestra Janela is originally from Ecuador, where she studied education. When she came to the United States she began teaching at a church preschool in the Western part of NC. She joined Wilmington Bilingual Preschool in 2022. After the birth of her son in Jan. 2024 she took a maternity leave and is excited to return as our APK2/Kindergarten teacher for the 2024-2025 school year. Janela is known for her patient and soft touch with our students. She loves creating unique experiences for her students and sharing knowledge with them in an imaginative way.

Toddler Assistant

Maestra Maria is originally from the city of Piuria, which is located on the north coast of Peru. She studied and worked in business administration and graduated from the Universidad Privada de Piuria. She met her husband in Peru and as he was from California, they relocated together to the United States and had a daughter in 2017. Maria is a fan of gentle parenting and enjoys studying child development in particular their brain development and best practices for helping children handle their emotions. Maria joined our school in fall of 2024 and was immediately recognized for her warm and friendly smile and calm and patient nature with our students. She most enjoys working with our youngest students and in her free time likes taking care of her plants, playing volleyball, riding her bike and going for walks and to the beach. She admires the families of our school for their efforts in raising children who are bilingual and appreciative of other cultures.

Young Pre-K Assistant

Maestra Eva – bio coming soon!

Older Young Pre-K Assistant

Maestra Diana is originally from Bogota, Colombia. She studied nursing and graduated from Fudesa College in Bogota. In Colombia she worked as a nurse and also in an assisted living facility for the elderly. She resides in Wilmington with her husband and two daughters. In her free time she enjoys studying English with the goal of having better communication with those around her. Diana joined our school in 2023 and her friendly nature helps her connect well with students, staff and families.

PK1 Assistant

Niurka M. is originally from La Habana, Cuba where she worked at a preschool with 5 year old students and also ran a coffee shop with her husband. They came to the United States in 2023 to start a new life along with their daughter, age 23 and son, age 18 who is a Senior at Laney High School. Niurka is an extremely positive person, very mothering and patient with our students. She finds it rewarding to be a part of their development and she is thrilled to be a part of our team!

PK2 Assistant

Maestra Nidia is originally from Honduras where she began studying to be a teacher when she was 16 years old. She went on to receive a degree in education from  Universidad Pedagógica Nacional Francisco Morazan (UPNFM) in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. Her family moved to the United States in 2019 and she joined our school in the fall of 2024, working with our PK2 students. In January of 2025 she became our new PK1 lead teacher. Nidia has over 16 years of experience working with children and says that she has wanted to be a teacher as long as she can remember. She believes the love of teaching is something one is born with and it makes her happy to know that she is contributing to society in a positive way and bringing joy each day to the students in her classroom.

Advanced Pre-K 2/Kindergarten Assistant

Michael C. is originally from Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela. He graduated from La Universidad Nueva Esparta with a degree in Business Administration and specialized in International Finances. In Venezuela he taught English class to first graders and he is proud to teach the students skills that will help serve them in the future. He has been a member of our team since 2023 and “Maestro Michael” is a very loved staff member among our students!

School Age

Maestra Noemi is originally from Oaxaca, Mexico but she grew up in Rocky Point, NC. Her parents are from Oaxaca, Mexico and she grew up bilingual, learning English at school and speaking Spanish at home. She attended Heidi Trask High School and graduated from NC State University where she majored in International Studies and minored in non profits and political science. Her mother was a teacher in Mexico and she always dreamed of being a teacher and helping guide the new generation. In her free time she likes to travel, do art, dance and make desserts. She enjoys sharing Mexican culture with others and has helped our school with our annual Day of the Dead Festival. We enjoy having Maestra Noemi at our school!

Supervisor- Student/Staff Support

Maestra Monserrat is originally from from Veracruz, a beach city on the Gulf of Mexico. She studied communicating and advertising in college. After moving to the USA she was one of our founding teachers at our half day school in 2017 and later taught at ‘The International School at Gregory’. She lives with her husband in Wilmington and loves going to the beach, traveling, taking pictures, making crafts, riding my bike, exercising, reading, learning new things, tending to her plants and watching sunsets 🙂

Supervisor- Student/Staff Support

Maestra Keila is originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She came to the United States as an Au Pair, working to care for children and families in the Wilmington area for 2.5 years. She began working with our school in 2022 and she is creative, caring and always shows initiative and enthusiasm when working with young children. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband, trying out new restaurants and walking her dog. We are happy to have her on our team!

Floater & Afternoon Assistant

Maestra Edith is originally from Venezuela where she studied publicity and marketing at Universidad Jesus Enrique Losada de San Cristobal in the state of Tachira. From a young age she always loved art and in 1999 she received a university certificate in pure art and sculpture. She was a resource art teacher at an elementary school in Venezuela and enjoyed inspiring her students to express themselves through the medium of art. She currently lives in Wilmington, NC with her husband and two children, including a teenage daughter. In her free time she dedicates herself to what she loves most, including her Art Club where she teachers children and adults to paint. Edith appreciates and thanks all of our families and students for their trust in her each day!

Afternoon Toddlers Assistant & Floater

Maestra Lina has worked with both of our schools since March of 2023. She is originally from Charlotte, NC. She is currently a senior at UNCW majoring in International Affairs and minoring in Spanish. Her mother was a daycare director and she has worked with children since she was about 8 years old. When she was 15 she went on a mission trip to Nicaragua and that sparked her interest in Spanish language and culture. In her free time enjoys spending time with her dog and cat, going on hikes and trying to cook new foods. Her super energetic and enthusiastic personality make her a natural with our students & families!

Afternoon Toddlers Assistant & Floater

Maestra Emma -bio coming soon!

Floating Teacher

Maestra Blanca is originally from Venezuela where she studied industrial engineering at Universidad del Tachira in the state of Tachira in Western Venezuela. Her family moved to Wilmington 7 years ago and she currently resides here with her husband and two daughters. Blanca is energized working with children and she believes that we are obligated to teach the next generation respect and wisdom to give them a solid foundation to guide them through challenges they may face in their lives. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and going to the beach to enjoy the ocean breezes.

Summer Camp Leader

Maestra Lizbeth was born in Rocky Point, NC where she graduated from Heidi Trask High School. She grew up bilingual, using Spanish at home, as her parents are from Oaxaca, Mexico. She currently attends UNCW as a senior. She is majoring in social work and minoring in psychology. She would like to have a career in social work when she graduates and she is planning to attend grad school. Her bubbly and positive personality make her a favorite among our support staff!

Floating Afternoon Assistant

Maestro Jovani is originally from Burgaw, NC. He was raised bilingual, as his parents are from Mexico and he learned English at school. He is currently attending UNCW as a sophomore and  is majoring in computer science. Growing up he helped take care of his brothers and sisters as he is 7 years older than them. He has worked as a translator at a doctor’s office and looks forward to inspiring kids on their language journey!

Charles Mellor | Van Driver and Maintenance

Charles Mellor (a.k.a. Señor Charles) is originally from Southport, NC. He is the father of 5 awesome kids and co-owner of Wilmington Bilingual Preschool. He has been driving our afterschool and summer camp van for our school age students since 2020 and helps keep our students safe on their field trips. You may see him from time to time delivering water or helping out, doing maintenance at our school.