Faculty Profile: Juliana Neves
Juliana Neves, English 7 & 8, Grade 8 Advisor
Growing up in the small New York town of Poughkeepsie, Juliana found that she loved writing, and as an adult, she continues to write creatively in her free time. As a child, Juliana struggled to find literature that she enjoyed, but fell in love with it as a young adult. “I truly believe that words can change the world -- for good and bad. Giving students the tools, inspiration, and joy of utilizing language to change the world is why I love teaching English.”
Before she became a teacher, Juliana worked as a United Nations Liaison Fellow with the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC). This work still influences her teaching ethic: “I learned through my work at the UN that equitable education, in particular for young girls, is the most proactive way to deter conflict and inequity within society.” She began her teaching journey as a substitute and has been teaching for four years. “During my free time, I decided to substitute at the school district that I grew up attending. I loved substituting K-12, but fell particularly in love with middle school.” Ultimately, she made the choice to enter the classroom full-time, and her “teaching philosophy is grounded in relationships, excellence, and process.” She holds a B.A. in Global Studies from Loyola University Maryland and a M.S. in Education from Johns Hopkins University.
One of her favorite parts of teaching English is getting to support students in “exploring their creativity through writing. Young people have so much going on and when given the opportunity to express themselves, they can really surprise you, if not teach you a thing or two about life.”
She chose to come to Burke’s because she wanted to be a part of a community dedicated to educating, empowering and encouraging young people to improve their communities. “Language is the key to communication. It brings people together (and can pull them apart). When students are able to connect with their classmates, themselves, even people from across the world through language, they are inspired.”
In her free time, she enjoys participating in marathons and triathlons. She’s currently training for a half marathon. She also enjoys spending time with family and friends, and getting out of doors to walk, hike, swim, run, and bike.
Burke's mission is to educate, encourage and empower girls. Our school combines academic excellence with an appreciation for childhood so that students thrive as learners, develop a strong sense of self, contribute to community, and fulfill their potential, now and throughout life.
Burke's admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.