Homeschool Connections

Aquinas Writing Advantage

AWA LIVE Instructor

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Natalie Meyer Schira

AQUINAS WRITING ADVANTAGE

Middle School Writing Specialist
LIVE Course Instructor

Natalie Meyer Schira

Miss Natalie Meyer Schira proudly serves as a teacher of middle school English and writing. She graduated from Saint Mary’s College Notre Dame in 2012 with a major in English Literature and a minor in secondary education.

Since then, Miss Schira has dedicated herself to Catholic education, joyfully serving nine years teaching English in a Catholic high school in Iowa. Miss Schira has also been featured in publications and with awards and recognition for teaching and inspiration.

With a love of language and teaching, she is committed to cultivating students’ academic and emotional development and using her teaching credentials to collaborate with and support families and students. Miss Schira’s greatest loves include Christ, commas, communication, caffeine, and her beloved Chicago Cubs while living a life grounded in faith, joy, and opportunity.

To quote one of her favorite pieces of wisdom from her mother, “When life gives you hold music, dance.” Here at Aquinas Writing Advantage, Miss Schira is beginning her sixth year as a LIVE course teacher for the 6/7 and 7/8 Series middle school writing courses. She is also the Middle School Writing Support Specialist.

Meet Miss Schira

Learn with Miss Schira

Check the current LIVE catalog to see Miss Schira’s LIVE course offerings and sign up for her courses.

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Myron Manns, MA

AQUINAS WRITING ADVANTAGE

AWA LIVE Course Instructor

Myron Manns, MA

Myron Manns is a writer and educator with roots in journalism and a career that spans public policy, international law, and digital storytelling. He graduated with a bachelor’s in communications, composition, and rhetoric from the University of Michigan-Flint, and began his career covering cultural life, writing for My City Magazine and the Flint Journal. During this time, he worked part-time teaching enhanced writing skills to middle school and high school students enrolled in supplemental education programs.

He has since taught legal English in Paris and has created product marketing materials in English for several French companies. He is driven by a passion for simplifying complex ideas through clear and concise writing.

Mr. Manns teaches the Foundational Middle School Writing courses (6/7 Series) and High School Professional Writing courses.

Meet Mr. Manns

Learn with Mr. Manns

Check the current LIVE catalog to see Mr. Manns’ LIVE course offerings and sign up for her courses.

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Gracie Maimone

AQUINAS WRITING ADVANTAGE

AWA LIVE Course Instructor

Gracie Maimone

Gracie Maimone earned her Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in the Liberal Arts from Thomas More College in Merrimack, New Hampshire. In addition to her excellence in writing and communications focus, she is trained in the liberal arts, humanities, and philosophical and theological disciplines, with her academic career culminating in a thesis focusing on Christ’s parables and examining the importance of storytelling in the work of education.

After receiving her degree, Mrs. Maimone taught philosophy and theology for four years at the Chesterton Academy Schools in Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wisconsin, where she was guided by a two-fold mission: 1) to help students comprehend and rejoice in what is true, and 2) to equip students with skills for communicating the truth through clear and eloquent writing.

Mrs. Maimone is thrilled to serve as an instructor for the Aquinas Writing Advantage (AWA) 9 Series LIVE courses and to continue in the formation of students’ minds and hearts within their mastery of writing. And as a homeschooled student herself before completing her education and enjoying her career in teaching, Mrs. Maimone is uniquely qualified to connect with AWA students.

Mrs. Maimone is based in Northeastern Wisconsin, where she lives with her husband and two children. When not teaching or enjoying time with her family, she can be found with a cup of coffee and a book in hand, with her latest batch of sourdough bread in the oven.

Meet Mrs. Maimone

Learn with Mrs. Maimone

Check the current LIVE catalog to see Mrs. Maimone’s LIVE course offerings and sign up for her courses.

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Doug Hughes, MA

AQUINAS WRITING ADVANTAGE

AWA LIVE and Recorded Course Instructor

Doug Hughes, MA

Doug Hughes, MA, has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication (with courses in Radio, TV, and Film) and a Master of Education degree from Bowling Green State University. He has worked professionally in video production in both Ohio and Los Angeles and has taught three different filmmaking courses with several different homeschool co-ops in the Columbus, Ohio, area. In 2014, Mr. Hughes’ homeschool class won Best Student Film at the International 168 Film Festival in Los Angeles. Two years later, the students won a Student Production award for Best Short Film at the Ohio Valley Regional Emmy Awards. Currently, Mr. Hughes works as a multimedia instructor at Marysville Early College High School as well as teaching the Screenwriting I and II courses with Aquinas Writing Advantage here at Homeschool Connections. Mr. Hughes lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife, Amy, and twin daughters, Hannah and Emily, who are both attending college in Florida.

Meet Mr. Hughes

Learn with Mr. Hughes

Check the current LIVE catalog to see Mr. Hughes’ LIVE course offerings and sign up for his courses. 

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Geralyn Rea, ME

AQUINAS WRITING ADVANTAGE

Managing Director
LIVE/Recorded Instructor

Geralyn Rea, ME

Geralyn Rea, ME, studied English at Hillsdale College and enjoyed her BA in English so much that she decided to complete a Master of English degree with the University of Dallas, as well. She has been tutoring, teaching online and in-person, and working with the homeschool community across the United States ever since. Mrs. Rea loves literature and fostering local book clubs and readily says that she can be found chatting about literature with anyone who will join the conversation.

Mrs. Rea currently lives with her husband and five children in Indiana. Here at Aquinas Writing Advantage, she teaches the LIVE Introduction to Literature and Writing: How to Read, Interpret, and Write about Literature (Parts One and Two) for middle school students – and is an Instructor Access grading services instructor for Introduction to Journalism and the middle school literature analysis courses.

Meet Mrs. Rea

Learn with Mrs. Rea

Check the current LIVE catalog to see Mrs. Rea’s LIVE course offerings and sign up for her courses.