About Us

Mrs. Netty has been in the Early Childhood Education field for 15+ years. She began her career at Hodgson Vocational Technical High School with a concentration of Early Childhood Education, helping her to amass experience working with children ranging from infant to middle school age. Upon graduating from Hodgson, she completed the Training in Early Childhood Care Education certificate program (TECE 1 and 2) and went on to work at local childcare centers within the community. After high school, Netty went on to continue her education in Early Childhood Education, graduating from Wilmington University in 2016 with an Associate degree in ECE (Birth-2nd grade). After receiving her degree, she began working in the public school system, teaching various elementary and middle school grade levels. Netty recently completed her bachelor's degree in Education Studies with a concentration in early childhood education and a certificate in trauma-informed approaches from Wilmington University. She has three children of her own and has been married for 8 years. Netty has always loved working with children and watching them grow and develop. Netty is committed to our mission of grooming children for greatness and cultivating relationships with the children, families, and staff. She is grateful to be able to use the gifts and talents God has placed on the inside of her here at SOGELC!

I have completed Training in Early Care and Education (TECE 1 and 2) certificate program from the State of Delaware. I also have other various training certificates from the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families.

I am a former co-owner of a childcare center in Salem, NJ. I have had the pleasure of serving as a foster parent to more than 175 children and exposing them to a loving Christian family and church for the past 12 years. Prior to dedicating my professional and personal life to shaping young minds and hearts, I worked in the hospitality industry for over 20 years.

I enjoy being involved at Seeds of Greatness Bible Church and serving on the Events Team. I love spending time with my husband, children, family and church family. I am a board member of New Castle County 7, Inc., a non-profit focused on improving the lives of foster children in Delaware. In my free time, I enjoy eating crabs and drinking Pepsi with my friends and family.

Hello Everyone! My name is Mrs. Vernell Lester I have been at the E.L.C going on 4 years. I was a teacher assistant for 2 years and a position became open for a part-time afternoon receptionist and I accepted it! The Early Learning Center has been a blessing in my life and it a great feeling to get up every day and know I will be able to put a smile on the parent’s and their children’s faces and also our team here at the E.L.C. I have been married this year for 58 years to a wonderful husband and we are blessed to have three daughters, two son-in-loves, four grandsons, three granddaughters, and 10 great grandchildren.  My husband and I were ordained by our Pastor, Pastor Jerome Lewis as Elders at Seeds Church in 2016. We have been members for 14 years. I thank God for opening up this door so I can be a light and blessing to the Body of Christ. I owe it all to HIM! “To God Be the Glory.”

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I have enjoyed being in the childcare field for 25+ years. At the age of 14 I began working as a Jr. counselor for inner city youth at Camp Josiah, a Christian camp in New York. During my last 2 years of high school as a co-op student, I worked at the YMCA Childcare Center in the infant room. After graduating from Newark High School in 97’ I received my certification as a Childcare Assistant Teacher through the Professional Career Development Institute. Shortly after, I also attended Ashworth College where I received my Teachers certificate for Childcare. 

 For 5yrs I owned & operated a small family daycare in my home. There I was overjoyed to care for children ranging from 6wks to 5yrs of age. 105 children received daycare, night-care or drop-in care. I can’t believe I even fit in a part time job at the Children’s Place, I can’t get enough of little people! I later worked as a Nanny & Secretary for a local nanny agency helping coworkers match with families to find care for their children. 

Years later as Administrative Assistant at a Childcare Center I assisted staff in completing all daily task. 

Additionally, as an Army wife & mother of 2 wonderful children that now look at me in my eyeballs,

I am learning to get in where I fit in & do my best, all with the help of the Lord! My ultimate goal working with young children is to turn every not so good situation into a better one, while showing that I genuinely care.

At COTLW my church, I have been the Praise team leader for years & worked with the children’s youth ministry as a teacher & youth choir director. 

Seeds has also been a Blessing to my family as well. We have enjoyed different events there geared towards children & couples. I love that we can grow here spiritually as a family and get built up so we can be all that God intended us to be. 

It’s truly a gift to be able to pass on the love while teaching our little pumpkins here at SOGELC!

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I am from a small town in Nebraska. I have 5 sisters and 7 brothers and I was raised in a Pentecostal church where I was saved as a young child. I had numerous babysitting jobs growing up which introduced me to child care at a young age.

I have been married for 30 years and have two daughters. I first volunteered as a Sunday school teacher for the church I was attending and was asked to fill in at the church’s daycare. When my first daughter was born I decided to pursue a career in child care.

I have also volunteered at the school my children attended throughout their elementary years.

I have been in Early Childhood for over 25 years. I received my TECE1 certificate through Univ. of DE and TECE 2 from Del-Tech.

I enjoy teaching young children and believe in Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

I give thanks and honor to God for the opportunity that Seeds of Greatness ELC and the parents of Seeds of Greatness ELC have given me to teach these young minds from a Christian perspective.

I look forward to being a part of something great at Seeds of Greatness ELC.

Hello! My name is Shanae Miller, and I’m from Delaware. I graduated from Delcastle Technical High School and hold a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. With experience as an Early Childhood Educator, I have had the pleasure of working with children across a variety of age groups, from infants to school-age kids.

I am a fun, gentle, loving, patient, and creative individual with a deep passion for nurturing young minds. I believe in the importance of making learning enjoyable and interactive, fostering a positive environment that encourages exploration and growth. My early experiences babysitting and assisting my grandmother in her home daycare further ignited my love for early childhood education.

In my free time, I enjoy engaging in play and arts and crafts activities with my son. Looking ahead, I aspire to further my education by obtaining a degree in Early Childhood Education, which will enhance my ability to support and inspire young learners.

Hello, my name is Mrs. Carolyn Figueroa 

I have been a member of Seeds of Greatness Bible Church for about twelve years now and have participated in several ministry events as a volunteer. I really enjoyed being an assistant teacher for the Seeds Vacation Bible School as well as having the opportunity to work at the Seeds Summer Camp After School program.  

I am married to Rafael Figueroa, and we are the parents of two adult daughters, five grandchildren and one great grandson.  I am originally from New York City and was relocated, by my company, to Delaware in November of 1998. 

I retired from Corporate America after 36 years of service in November 2015. My work experience is in Banking Operations. I stayed home for three years before seeking part-time employment.  In the three years at home, I did lots of fun things, like taking dance classes, cooking classes, started baking, traveled, met lots of wonderful people and even took the H & R Block tax preparation course. I basically did most things I never seemed to have the time to do while working fulltime.   

I enjoy spending time with my family, dancing, watching old movies and television shows, and traveling.  

I wake up each day with a heart filled with gratitude for all the Lord has done, is doing and will do in my life.  He has done GREAT things for me! 

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My name is Michelle Allen. I worked in the field of Social Services for over 40 years. I worked as a program manager with individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities at agencies in PA. and DE.  In the community residential setting, my job responsibilities included completing required paperwork, preparing my team for annual state inspections, advocating for the individuals served, and developing relationships with stakeholders.  I interviewed staff, supervised staff and ensured that all job required trainings were completed in a timely manner.  In August 2020, I retired from Elwyn, Inc. in Media, PA.  

    Within a years’ time, I wanted to continue to serve and became a staff member at Seeds of Greatness Early Learning Center in July 2021. I am a member of Seeds of Greatness Bible Church and I participate in the Hospitality and WIM Adult Dance ministries.  I enjoy traveling, dancing, baking, and cooking meals for my family and friends.  I love to serve and care for others.  I am also the proud mother of three daughters; Ayana, Alana and Aanika and I have two grandchildren; Aiden and Evie and one grand dog, Naya.

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Hello, my name is Shaunee McLaurin. My journey in working with children began during my high school years at William Penn, where I had the privilege of supporting children with disabilities. After graduating, I completed an internship at a home daycare, further deepening my passion for early childhood education.

In 2020, I transitioned to public schools as a paraprofessional, gaining valuable experience in various schools across the Colonial School District. In 2021, I found my professional home at Seeds of Greatness Early Learning Center, where I am thrilled to work as a Lead teacher with our one-year-olds. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to help nurture and support your children's growth and learning as they embark on their educational journeys.

My name is Charnell, but most call me "Char". I was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA and recently moved here to Delaware. I became a home owner in Delaware July 2021 and haven’t turned back since. I pursued the childcare industry 14 years ago as an infant teacher and worked for several centers, as well as the Philadelphia School District. I love being the face of their beginning milestones in life and to set a good foundation for our babies. I asked a family member and did research on Seeds of Greatness Early Learning Center for employment and received great information! I became a team member of SOGELC in June of 2022 and found a new family. A family you can talk to and will have your back. A Family that will be there when you need them. When I am not working at the ELC, I spend most of my time with my daughters who are 17 and 24 years old. They keep me going and keep me young.

Hi, I am Destini Norris! A driven, focused, and hardworking future educator from Wilmington, DE. I have studied in early education as well as elementary education at Del-Tech since 2018. Working with children in education has always been a passion of mine. I’ve always wanted to help others but gravitated more towards children. Working with children reminds me of how amazing and exciting the world could be! I’ve completed my certification in TECE 1 and currently in the process of completing TECE 2 to further my education. Seeds of Greatness Early Learning Center was the first childcare center to give me an opportunity to teach in education and so far I love working here and being a teacher in the Kangaroo Room!

Hello I’m Kayla Deloatch, I’m from Delaware County, PA. I am the assistant teacher in our 1 year old Classroom (The Bear Room). Ever Since I was a young girl, I always wanted to teach and become a teacher. When I was 14, I started babysitting and then got my first job working with children at a kid’s spa at the age of 19. After that experience, I learned that I had a passion for children and wanted to make an impact on them. When I attended Harcum College in 2020, I got my first job as an Assistant teacher at a Montessori school and absolutely loved it! My goal is to build more confidence in myself and become a Lead Teacher one day! My interests are enjoying making people smile and laugh. I also like to draw.

Hi everyone! My name is Jawanna! I have 10 years of experience working in early childcare! All which took place in the residential setting. I have also worked with adolescents and adults with autism and other mental, emotional and behavioral challenges for 2 years! I’m a married mother of 3 (ages 9, 12 and 14)! I love arts and crafts, traveling, and potatoes! I’m super excited to bring all of that experience and passion to SOGELC!

Hello, my name is Lyric! I’m the Assistant Teacher behind Ms. Taylor in our Zebra Room (2-year-olds). I’m from San Diego, California and graduated from La Marque High School in La Marque, TX in 2017. I’ve been working with children since I was nine years old. My dad was in the military & was always deployed, so I would help my mom every day, all day with my siblings. From diaper changes in the middle of the night, feedings, homework, practices, the whole nine. My brothers are literally the kids I’ve never had, they helped mold me into the mother I am to my two-year-old son. I love being a mom! It’s literally the beat job ever! Just like they learn from us, we learn from them! To be kind, gentle & patient. I love my job and I love these kids as if they were my own.

Hello, my name is Ms. Monique! I am the Assistant Teacher in the Kangaroo Room. I have been teaching for four years! I attended Benedict College in Columbia, SC. My favorite things about teaching are watching my students grow and learn. Some fun facts about me are I am a mom of two girls, I love to cook and bake in my free time, my favorite drink is Dr. Pepper, and my favorite flower are sunflowers. I look forward instilling the word of God and cultivating the little ones here at SOGELC !

Hi, my name is Jordan and I am from Herndon, Virginia. I have 1 older sister and 2 older brothers. I attended West Virginia University for 3 years and studied Speech Pathology. I hope to be finishing up my degree within the next 2 years locally. Once I complete my degree, I would like to work in the school system as a Speech Pathologist.

I started working in childcare the summer of 2018, after i graduated high school. I have 9 nieces and nephews combined, who I absolutely adore! Working with children has always been a passion of mine and I am excited to further my experience!

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Hi, I'm Ms.Trinity! I was born in New Castle, Delaware, but spent some time in North Carolina as a child. I graduated from Howard High School of Technology in 2022. After high school, I started college at Del Tech, majoring in marketing. In recent years I've come to that realization that God put in my heart the love for children, which has inspired me to teach. My goals are to get my bachelor's degree in Education and become a third-grade teacher and one day open my own childcare center. I love to teach and take care of little ones. I see every child as a gift from God and my job at the ELC is to make every child feel important, loved, and safe. The ELC has allowed me to spread God’s love and deposit his word into the hearts of children.

Hello everyone! My name is Ilani Jaime, pronounced Ee-la-ni. I was born and raised in Wilmington, DE. I began my journey at Delcastle Technical High School, where I studied to become a surgical technician. Eventually, I graduated from A.I. High School.

While I was a junior in high school, I started working at a childcare center. After graduation, I continued my career by working for a substitute company, where I had the opportunity to work with children of all ages, from elementary to high school. It was during this time that I discovered my passion for working with children.

My experience has allowed me to interact with kids and witness firsthand the positive impact that well-planned activities can have on their learning experiences. I find great fulfillment in helping children explore new concepts in a stimulating and supportive environment.

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Hey everyone! I’m Ms. Imani, originally from Philadelphia but I recently moved to Delaware. I have one sister and two brothers, and I'm always ready to lend a helping hand when they need something. My journey with kids began when I was just 16, through a program in high school. In 2019, I took my first official role at an after-school care center. I truly enjoy working with children and supporting their growth and development. It has always been my passion to inspire kids and help them become their best selves. I’m thrilled to be a part of SOGELC, where I can pursue this passion and contribute to shaping great individuals.

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