My name is Eleanor Voyvodich, but most people just call me Ellie.

 

     I was born and raised in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I have a great love for my friends and family. Aside from teaching and creating art, my passions include hiking, traveling, kayaking, environmental awareness, and cultural exploration. My mother was a special education teacher at the Western Pennsylvania School For Blind Children in Oakland; my love for learning and teaching comes from her. She had such an incredible impact on her students' lives in teaching the life skills to live meaningful lives after graduation, and I believe in witnessing this, I myself have developed a desire to do the same for children. My father was an iron worker for over 35 years, and he worked on many of the bridges and buildings that make up Pittsburgh's history and present existence. I believe everyone should ask themselves what impact they will choose to have on our community and world.

     When I was in high school, my art teachers changed my life; I dreamed to one day do the same for others. From my ceramics to multimedia and photography teachers, they all showed me the true power of the arts. Since I graduated high school in 2009, I had attended the Pennsylvania State University while studying Art Education within the School of Arts and Architecture; my time there was incredibly energizing and rewarding. I have been working within the Pittsburgh Public Schools for 4 and a half years and am currently teaching Visual Arts at Westinghouse Academy.