Melissa is a native of Sumter, South Carolina. She obtained a B.A. in Elementary Education from Allen University. With this degree, she taught Middle Level English Language Arts for fourteen years in Sumter and Richland counties, and a total of seventeen years  experience in the education field. Throughout her career, she continued to keep a focus on education and received a M.A. in Professional Counseling from South University.  

Her time in the classroom has been celebrated by receiving various awards such as, two-time Teacher of the Year, Reading Teacher of the Year, and WLTX Teacher of the Week. Melissa believes in giving students opportunities to grow and showcase their talents and skills. Many of the lessons she taught foster collaboration, inquiry, the use of 21st-century skills. Her students have been featured in the local newspaper for their work in a living museum project. She used music to reinforce academic skills and collaboration, and this love for music served as a way to develop strong teacher-student relationships and student-student interactions. Melissa created a YouTube page called "ELAtheLitWay" to help students academically and socially. As a result, her students were locally discovered and selected to perform their song "Pick It Up" for the Earth Day celebration in Sumter County. 

She has presented at the SC Middle School Conference and the Writing Improvement Network. Melissa shifted into a new role as an elementary level Technology and Learning Coach. In that role, she collaborates with teachers to find ways to enhance their lessons through technology integration.  In addition to changing careers, Melissa decided to continue her educational journey by becoming a doctoral candidate at Gardner-Webb University. In 2020, she published two children's books, Counting on Friends and Dream Chasers, and both are available on Amazon. Her motto is, "Never tell me what a child cannot do. I will prove you wrong every time." 

Seon Sonya Sloley is a 24-year veteran who is currently the Science Lead at Charles H Parker Academic Center in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. She has earned a teaching diploma at the Sam Sharpe Teachers College (1998), Bachelor of Arts in education with an emphasis in English from the Northern Caribbean University (2004), a Masters in School Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University (2010), holds a school administrator license (2019), and is currently a doctoral candidate for the Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at Gardner-Webb University. Seon holds a professional teaching license as an elementary and science elementary teacher for K-6. She began her teaching career at the age of 19 years old in Jamaica, where she taught Social Studies to grades 7 and 9 students, and all elementary subjects to grades, 2, 3 and 6 students. Specific research interests include frequent curriculum changes and its effect on teacher instruction and students’ academics. She has worked in both urban and rural school districts and is currently working in a Title 1 school. She believes in advocating for teachers, students, and parents and believes that strong community involvement from educators within the school community they teach, will foster better and stronger relationships between school and community (parents).